Life is one of the hardest
by BMIK
Summary: Cid/ Yazoo, Reno/Yazoo. Yazoo gets caught by Cid as he tries to rob his tool shop and is forced to work for the mechanic as compensation. This is easier said than done, because naturally problems are just waiting to pop up. AU
1. Chapter 1

**Hey there! Welcome to my new fic, this time it´s some kind of... love triangle. And it´s a Cid/Yazoo/Reno triangle at that! Weird, I know, but I always wanted to write a Cid/Yazoo story (haven´t seen that yet) and I had some time during the holidays (well, actually I hadn´t, but anyway).  
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**Just so you are warned: this fic is full of drama, and angst and tragedy and whatnot! :)**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, nor its characters and I do not make any money from this.

**I hope you enjoy it!**

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1

„What da fuck?!"

Cid Highwind looked up from his annoying paperwork, cig dangling from the corner of his mouth, eyebrows drawn together. Ears peeking up, he concentrated on the sound that he thought he´d heard, icy blue eyes piercing the darkness of his cramped office that was only lit by his dull desk lamp.

And there it was again, a faint sound of chinking glass.

Expression becoming increasingly pissed, the man stubbed his cig in the overflowing ashtray and stood up from his chair, grabbing for his spear leaning against the wall next to his desk and soundlessly opened the door.

Silently he made his way down the stairs, automatically avoiding the panels that liked to creak and went through the darkness to his store. The faint sounds weren´t coming from the garage so he kept to the left, his spear in hand and a grim look donned to his face. It wasn´t frightened or angry expression but an annoyed and a little disbelieving one.

Because honestly, who in his right mind tried to rob _Cid Highwind?! _ There certainly wasn´t much to get out of him anyway, but the main reason why everyone, including the mafia, gangs or just deliquent kids, gave his shop a wide berth was because of his infamous temper and the well known fact that he made a short shift of uninvited guests! And very effectively so.

Spitting on the ground, Cid leaned with his back to the wall and peeked through the open backdoor into the shop. The dirty light of a street lamp outside cast long shadows through the room as it fell on the high, cramped shelves, stuffed with tools of every kind.

A strong smell of motoroil and cigarette smoke hung in the air, but Cid didn´t even notice it anymore. His scrutinizing gaze scanned the shadowed room until it fell upon a figure on the counter.

Shooting another look through the dark shop, Cid made certain that there was no accomplice and frowned again. Now this was rich. Either this 'robber' was extremely _stupid _to come here all by himself or extremely desperate.

Snorting, the blond man came out of his hiding spot and sneaked through the dikes, naturally hidden by the shadows.

His burglar was now with his back to the angry shopowner and bent over his (empty) checkcounter. Inwardly Cid shook his head at the obvious idiocy of his guest and unceremoniously pressed the tip of his very sharp spear against the masked man´s neck.

"Now watcha think ya doin pal, eh?"

The figure stiffened at the cynical question and stopped fumbling with the cash box, gloved fingers instead sneaking down to the pockets of his black trousers, but Cid only put more pressure on his spear, making the burglar hiss and move his head forward a little.

"Wouldn´t do dat if I was ya…" Cid remarked almost friendly and watched as the person in front of him lifted his arms in defeat. Roughly pulling open the guy´s pocket with one hand, Cid found a pocket knife and snorted in disbelieve, not knowing if he should start laughing at the burglar or smack him. He settled for a snide remark instead, throwing the thing over his shoulder so that it clattered to the ground "Whaddcha planned on doin with dat?! Poking me ta death?"

"It certainly would have been enough to cut out that annoying tongue of yours," came the instant, cold reply that startled Cid a bit, but made a smirk appear just shortly after.

He quickly searched the rest of his captives pockets, finding nothing but an identification card and at _that_, Cid laughed. What kind of burglar kept his passport with him?!

"Turn 'round," he ordered absent-mindedly, his spear moving with the robber´s movement until it pointed to his throat. With a smash on the small button, the lamp on the counter flickered to life and provided the badly shaved and tired mechanic with enough light to have a good look at the passport.

While the masked man leaned against the counter with his hands still held up, Cid put the cigarette from behind his ear between his lips, lightening it and blowing out a cloud of blue grey smoke while turning the little card in his hand.

"Yazoo, uh? What kinda shitty name da hell´s dat?!"

He was only met with stubborn silence and shaking his head and taking another drag, Cid turned the card again, looking at the photo and lifting an eyebrow "An honestly pal, if ya use a fake id dun take da one of ya sista…"

Pushing out another exasperated cloud of smoke from his lungs, the man grabbed for his captives black mask and pulled it over his head, still glancing at the photo of a stunningly gorgeous silver haired girl melancholically staring into the camera. When he looked up to finally come face to face with his intruder and the exact same face stared back at him, long silver hair a little disheveled, the man just slowly took out his cigarette from his mouth.

"Da fuck?!" This fella sure was the girliest guy he´d ever seen!

Clearing his throat, Cid decided to just… forget about it and go on.

"So, Ya-zoo," he drawled, glancing at the pass again and finally withdrawing his spear a little from the stiff figure, who instantly relaxed. "Care ta tell me whaddcha doin in ma shop? Ain´t for shoppin´if I may take a wild guess, eh?"

Ignoring the sarcastic undertone, Yazoo remained silent, only sticking out his bottom lip a little and haughtily glowering at the shop owner.

"Ya know, burglary´s a s´rious crime," Cid went on in a conversational tone. "Bedda call da authorities, hn?"

The young man´s eyes widened at this and he looked clearly uncomfortable now, if not afraid, and much younger than the twenty years his id claimed he was.

"Please, not the police!"

Inwardly groaning, Cid turned the fake id again, asking with his spear leaned against his shoulder "How old are ya, kiddo? An dun try ta lie ta me, ya id is the worst fake I´ve eva seen. An believe me, I´ve seen quite a lot."

The blond shot him a warning look, blue smoke crawling from his lips.

"Eighteen," the boy said coolly but hesitantly added as Cid reached for the phone on the desk "…next year."

Withdrawing his hand with an arched eyebrow, Cid pulled the cig from his mouth, inquiring almost disinterestedly "Da first time ya doin this?"

At the short, reluctant nod, the man spit to the side, remarking "Thought so. A regular ain´t doin as stupid as ya…"

Yazoo looked very inclined to make a biting comeback but, considering his situation, wisely refrained from doing so. He was at the man´s mercy and angering him surely wouldn´t add to his advantage.

They remained silent for a while, Cid looking thoughtful and Yazoo waiting for him to say something.

"So whaddcha gonna do ´bout ma window?" the man eventually asked, shooting the silver haired teen a side glance before looking back at his broken front door. "Dat´s quite expensive ta fix, y´know."

"If I had money to pay for your window, do you think I would be in need to rob your little rat-shop?" came the acrid reply.

Apparently it was out before Yazoo could think about his words, because he shut his mouth instantly, icily looking to the ground. Instead of being offended though, Cid only smirked, smashing his cig to the floor and trampling it out with his booted foot.

"Heh. Ya still hav ta compensate me."

The boy looked at him strangely, but before he could say something, the blond continued "Ya´ll work for it."

Ignoring the crestfallen look of his captive, Cid put the id in his own pocket, informing him "Ya get dat back when ya hav paid me."

With that he grabbed his spear and was about to march back to his office when he noticed the figure of Yazoo still leaning against the counter.

Clearly annoyed and impatient now, the blond stopped, growling "Ya hav a problem with dat? Can call da police any time if ya prefer dat."

"No, I´m fine with that!" Yazoo hurried to assure, pushing himself away from the counter.

"Great. See ya in five hours then," Cid said curtly and smashed the door to his home shut behind him.

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** So, that´s the first chapter...**

**Mind to tell me what you think? I would love to read it! :)  
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	2. Chapter 2

**So, here´s the second chapter. Let´s see if I can live up to the expectations :) It´s really not that easy to write the two, and I spent two hours rewriting the chapter, but in the end I didn´t change that much *sigh* **

**Anyway, I hope you like it!**

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When he came down to the shop the next morning with bleary, red eyes and a distinctly not so good mood Yazoo was already waiting outside. Much to his luck, Cid thought, because the consequences of him not being there would have become rather ugly.

Not that Cid was a particularly violent person, but he didn´t like people trying to shit him and could become _very_ unpleasant. Even more so when he had shown some lenience, which really wasn´t to be taken for granted these days.

Living in an area like his, where most young people had no job, let alone a school-leaving-qualification or an apprenticeship and no one cared about it either, it was no wonder that most of them ganged up and went down the path of criminals.

Apparently Yazoo had been on the best way to join their rows and normally Cid could have cared less if he did, if only the boy hadn´t chosen HIS shop for his first (failed) criminal attempt. And if the police would had been of any help at all he´d happily handed Yazoo over and be done with it.

The problem was that the first conviction inevitably dragged the kids into a downward spiral to much more serious crimes. The authorities were not interested in helping them or try to at least attempt to resocialise them. They had their hands full with trying to remain in controle, and every offender to the delicate balance of successfully pretending to keep the crime at bay and admitting anarchy was just locked up. And once they had a criminal record no one would employ them, thus leaving a criminal career as the only option to survive.

But actually Cid didn´t care, not really. He just needed a helping hand anyway and Yazoo was as good as anyone. And he was cheap.

Rubbing over his tired face, Cid unlockd the front door and narrowed his eyes against the bright sunlight. His eyes briefly wandered over the dirty streets, the butchered cars rotting away on the curbways and the rundown, graffity sprayed houses that flanked his street like rotten teeth a foul mouth.

Grunting something incoherent at Yazoo who was leaning at the brick wall with his arms folded and waiting, he went back into his cool, dark shop without sparing the youth so much as a glance. It was just too goddamn early for this…

Shuffling back to the counter, he ignored the boy´s far too enthusiastic "Good morning" and fumbled with the pack of cigarettes in his pocket while rubbing a hand over his scrubby chin. After he´d lit one and felt the comforting biting of the smoke in his lungs, the mechanic deigned to grace his new assistance with a grumpy side glance and almost choked on his smoke.

Instead of the black clothes that had covered him the previous night, Yazoo was wearing remarkably… less fabric. His long legs were barely covered by the bleached jeans he´d cut off just above his round buttocks. A small belly button, nestled in a flat stomache flashed every so often when he moved and his tight white shirt shifted.

His slender hands held behind his back he expectantly smiled at Cid, looking all eager and motivated.

And quite hot.

"What da hell…" Cid growled, irritated. Yazoo inclined his head in question, not knowing why his new employer looked so unhappy and grumpy, but the man did not offer any explanations.

"So,what do you want me to do? Shall I work on the counter?" Yazoo finally asked politely as no instructions from the tired man came, and the mechanic instead continued to muster him with a sour look.

"Yeah, like hell I´d let ya near da cash ya tried ta steal yest six hours ago," Cid retorted, scratching his chin out of habit, cig dangling from his mouth. After a brief look through the shop, he bent down and vanished behind the counter. Some rustling noises and muffled curses filled the dusty room before the blond emerged a minute later, thrusting a broom into Yazoo´s arms and ordering "How ´bout ya start cleaning da mess ya created."

Nodding his agreement and beaming his unfaltering smile at the man, the teen went off to the front door to clean away the glass shards that were still littering the blotchy floor.

Blue eyes involuntarily followed the slim figure as he kneeled down to start his work, his little ass waggling when he moved.

Cid threw out an exasperated breath of smoke and forced his attention back on the cash box to check the lock.

After a few minutes Yazoo appeared back at the counter, announcing friendly that he was done. Cid only shot him a sceptic look and went back to the door, the boy following in tow. After he had inspected the damage -which apparently wasn´t that bad, because the glass had been broken only partially so that Yazoo had been able to reach the handle of the door- Cid decided that it would suffice for now to tape it up. It wasn´t like anyone dared to invade his territory anyways. Well, maybe apart from some silver haired brats…

Said young man was still standing beside the shop owner, smiling and awaiting new instructions, infuriating the blond with his sweet and eager attitude.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" he offered and Cid was very tempted to tell him that yes, he could for instance by wiping away that fake grin, but instead he just gruffily ordered Yazoo to get the boxes from the garage and refill the shelves.

Ignoring the sweet "I´d love to!" and the row of pearly white teeth he was graced with, the older man went to one of the shelves, grabbed for the tape and started with his work.

The rest of the day was ostly spent in silence. Cid gave the boy some minor chores where he couldn´t possibly do much damage –but work that wasn´t too easy either, judging from Yazoo´s panting as he carried various boxes through the shop.

He had only one customer at the garage who wanted to get back his repaired truck and otherwise Cid worked on a motorcycle, trying to avoid Yazoo and his cheerfulness as much as he could. Not that he was fleeing him –like hell he would! This was _his_ bloody shop, damn it!- but somehow Yazoo´s fake attitude made him almost sick. If the mechanic hated something it was dishonesty.

By the end of the day Cid finally closed the garage door, locking it and going back to the front shop.

Yazoo was still busy rearranging something on the shelves, his formerly white legs smeared with dust and his long hair drawn into a ponytail.

"Oi, brat," the mechanic called, feeling like he desperately needed to get out of his own sweaty shirt. Yazoo rose from the ground, strolling over and humbly looking down as he came to stand in front of his new employer.

"Dat´s ´nough" Cid informed him, searching the counter for his cigs and failing to notice the beaming smile radiating from Yazoo´s beautiful features.

"Well then, it was an honour to work for you sir. I am grateful for your graciousness and I certainly learnt my lesson. I promise you that I will not partake in such criminal things again."

He bowed down lowly and went up again, expectantly looking at Cid, who stared back at him blankly, trying to hide his utter horror. Then his brows knitted together as it dawned on him what Yazoo was aiming for and with a half amused, half derisive snort he replied "Ya great. See ya tomorrow pal."

The smile faltered a little, green eyes becoming colder, but the next moment the youth had himself back under controle, inclining his head and questioning "I am sorry? I have done my compensation now, haven´t I?"

"Yeah? Dun think so," Cid said unimpressed, grabbing for the lighter and guiding it to the cig in his mouth.

"This is exploitation."

Yazoo had abandoned his awful happy-go-lucky-act in favor of an icy and almost threatening look with wich he mustered his employer.

"Sue me," the blond smirked, blowing a cloud of smoke into the upset teen´s delicate face while grabbing for the phone and nonchalantly holding it into his direction. Of course the phone was only spared a brief look before Yazoo sourly averted his eyes and Cid put it back.

After a moment though, a smug, calculating gleam appeared back in Yazoo´s eyes, a small smile slowly creeping over his lips that Cid absolutely disliked.

Warily eyeing the youth, he still wasn´t prepared for what Yazoo intended as he suddenly swayed around the counter with sensual, almost predatory moves and swinging hips, purring while never leaving his eyes from the other:

"You know… Maybe we can find another kind of… compensation."

His long, black lashes fluttered suggestively as he came to stand before the speechless mechanic. The blond just stared at the youth open mouthed, cigarette dangling from his lips and threatening to fall down to the dirty ground. The brat couldn´t be serious, could he?!

"I noticed how you looked at me…" A slender index finger connected with Cid´s blue, sweaty shirt and slowly trailed over his broad, muscular chest down towards his belly button.

"You want me," Yazoo breathed seductively, while leaning forward and coming closer to the older man´s face, rosy tongue darting out and licking over full, soft lips "you can have me."

It was then that Cid finally snapped out of it and grabbed Yazoo´s finger, that had gone dangerously close to his private areas. He roughly shoved it away while making a step back to bring some much needed distance between them, growling in exasperation "Get ya hands off me! I wouldn´t fuck ya if ya were da last damn guy walkin da bloody earth! An now get outta here, or I´ll faget ma good manners!" Cid _really_ had a hard time not to smack the brat, forcing his clenched fists to remain by his side.

Yazoo stared back at him blankly, frozen to the spot and trying to process that he just had been rejected, something he apparently wasn´t used to –which, admittedly, didn´t surprise Cid in the least.

Then slowly the youth´s beautiful face contorted into a mask of sheer anger, that differed from the mechanic´s expression of fury in so far as that it wasn´t exactly an 'expression' at all. It consisted of the slightest of pouts, that might have even appeared somewhat childish, if it hadn´t been for the narrowed eyes and the blazing, cold hatred that nearly bore through Cid´s scull. The mechanic answered the look with his own unflinching gaze, refusing to submit to the intense stare or letting the runt intimidate him.

Their contest lasted only shortly though, then the boy had his hurt pride back under controle. Yazoo relaxed from his stiff posture, then straigthened his back, face going neutral. His anger was hidden behind a look of indifference as he gave the grim man a derisive "Hn". Turning on his heels, he sauntered out of the shop with his pretty head held up high, ignoring the "An don´t ya dare not showin up here tomorrow," growled after him.

Shaking his head, Cid smashed his cigarette to the ground, stomping it out and watching his employee vanishing through the dirty window.

Now this could become something…

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**Since Yazoo is Sephiroth´s 'allure' I thought he might try to worm his way out of the situation by trying to seduce Cid... but apparently Cid didn´t feel like playing along :D Poor Yazoo, I hope he doesn´t suffer from inferiority complexes now ;)**

**Btw: I´m searching for a beta, so if someone has time and would like to give it a try please contact me!**

**InsaneChaos: **I´m glad you like it! Thanks fo the review!

**YazooValentine:** Oh, yes he´s so _very _gorgeous! Can I take it from you comment that you think that Cid is, let´s say... not so amazing, but since Yazoo is, he´ll somehow make up for poor old Cid? :D Well, I have to admit that Cid isn´t exactly what I would call 'beautiful'. But it´s the character that matters ;) (Let´s see if Yazoo comes to that conclusion too.)

**sareyva:** Hi there, I´m glad you like my new story so far too! I´m always happy to read your comments, they are so detailed and keep my motivation up! I have to admit that, yes, Cid´s language is a bit annoying, but by now I´m almost used to it, SwD was a good practice :D But I just can´t imagine him to speak like normal people (I guess he´d be too lazy to do so)... Your assumption was very interesting and you´re partly right, Yazoo is desperate. I won´t spoil the rest, but I hope you like it anyway ;)

**Review please?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to my awesome beta PfenixB for being so fast and such a big help!**

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Suffice it to say, the next day Yazoo was considerably less cheerful and 'lovely', but instead proved to be rather skilled at being snappy and giving the cold shoulder.

Cid just shrugged it off, though. He rather preferred him like this than the awfully happy guy he´d pretended to be the day before. And since Yazoo still did his work okay -his grudge not going far enough to risk Cid´s true wrath by boycotting his work- the blond didn´t give a shit if he´d scratched on Yazoo´s precious pride. Besides he thought that Yazoo could care less if Cid wanted to fuck him or not. The brat must know that he was sex on legs regardless of his employer's opinion on him.

Shaking his head, Cid cast a side glance over the counter, where Yazoo was cleaning the floor with a cloth, his green hipster hotpants revealing the rim of black lace lingerie as he kneeled forward and scrubbed the grey laminate.

"´m off in da garage," the blond rumbled, setting aside the cloth with which he had polished a screw and vanishing next door without getting an answer. Kids these days… He didn´t get them and he didn´t really want to either. Normally he was fine with just ignoring them and they happily returned the favour (who wanted to pick a fight with Cid Highwind and his pointy spear anyway?). Cid had better things to do than waste his time with brats... But now since he was confronted with one, he just became painfully aware how out of touch with this generation he truly was. Not that it bothered him, not really, but somehow he had to deal with Yazoo for the time being.

He could avoid the problem by just releasing the brat, give back his damn ID and be done with it. But Cid was determined to teach the runt a lesson and besides he was much too stubborn to just give in into Yazoo´s antics. This wasn´t just about paying for the damn window, this was about principles! But really, if anyone in this generation was just as indifferent, sly and morally deprived as Yazoo was he´d rather not grow old and defenseless.

Cid was absorbed in his work and his thoughts when he thought he´d hear the bell on the door ring, mumbling a "Comin'," more to himself and just finishing replacing the item before he crawled from under the car.

After he had rubbed his oily hands on a semi-clean cloth, he threw it away and moved through the door, expecting Yazoo to already help the client with whatever he needed. As he´d noticed earlier, Yazoo was, despite his grudge for Cid, rather polite and charming with the customers and had already mapped where most of the things were standing, thus being able to take care of their wishes.

Of course the cash box was locked to him so that Cid was required for the payment.

To his surprise though, the shop was empty. Frowning, the man craned his neck to look past a shelf but there was no one anywhere to be seen.

Maybe he had misheard?

But then where was Yazoo? He hadn´t sent him to the store room as far as he remembered.

"Oi, brat!" Cid shouted in the general direction of the depot, but no answer came. Maybe he´d gone to the john.

Cid was about to just shrug it off and go back to his own work when a fresh footprint on the still wet floor caught his eye. It definitely wasn´t a match to Yazoo´s puny flipflops and it wasn´t his own either. But it went to the back of the house, which deemed the man quite strange because he´d explicitly ordered Yazoo to not take strangers to the store room.

Frowning, the blond went over to the door with long strides, stepping into the dark, dusty corridor and having a look at the cramped, box stuffed store room, but there was no one there either. The door to the side alley was open though, and now clearly confused Cid stepped outside into the bright day.

Narrowing his eyes he first didn´t see anything but blinding light, but a gasping sound made his head turn left.

"Hurry…"

And into view came heavily built, hairy man in a bluey, leaning against the dirty brick wall and fumbling with his zipper. In front of him crouched Yazoo, impatiently and almost boredly watching the client fight to get his erection free.

"._Hell_!"

Clenching his jaw, Cid marched over (avoiding some empty beer bottles rolling on the ground) and grabbed the surprised teen by the arm, roughly pulling him up. The client flinched in surprise and stopped pulling at his zipper, glancing very uncomfortably at the shaking fist, belonging to a certain furious shop owner.

"Get lost," the mechanic snarled at him and the man saw that he legged it, stumbling out of the alley hastily.

When the man was out of sight, Cid shoved the youth roughly against the next brick wall and planted himself in front of Yazoo. "Yest what da fuck´s wrong with ya?! Wanna tell me what dat was all ´bout?"

"I think it was pretty obvious," came the slightly haughty reply. Yazoo had his arms crossed over his shoulder and with a raised eyebrow held eye contact with his employer, who still hovered over him, panting with rage .

"Wish I´d rather not," Cid growled, one hand resting against the wall next to Yazoo´s head and asking with a mixture of disgust and anger "Ya thinkin´ of anything else dan gettin´ fucked or what? Ya sum kinda slut or what?"

"I don´t plan on getting 'fucked' and I am not a slut," the teen snarled back. "It would have been only a blow job okay?" It sounded a bit defensive and annoyed, Cid thought.

The blond shook his head in frustration, spiting to the side "So whatcha call whatcha were tryin' ta do ta me yestaday, uh? I´d say dat was a bloody damn obvious case o´tryin ta sell ya."

"You honestly think I would have let you fuck me?" the youth answered with disgust and lifted his chin at Cid´s arched eyebrow, then deviously and with a smirk declaring "I would have accused you of sexual abuse as soon as you´d touched me. Or maybe I´d have blackmailed you that I would do it if you don´t give me back my ID."

Rubbing his temple and pacing in front of his assistance, Cid tried to NOT punch the brat in the face right then and there, instead counting from ten backwards. After he had calmed down somewhat he wisely choose to not deepen the matter any further and just focus on the topic at hand. It certainly was a lot healthier for Yazoo if they did. "Care ta enlighten me why ya pulled dat stunt?"

It wasn´t so much a question as a grimly spoken order with a dangerous and warning edge. Hesitantly Yazoo followed it when he noticed the violent aura radiating from the mechanic and therefore answered while observing the dirty ground "To earn money and pay you back of course."

"Ya…" Cid stopped and shot the teen a strange look. "Ya really have bloody bats in ya belfry haven´t ya?"

Yazoo just glared back and didn´t deign to answer.

"Ya really ratha suck sum guys dick, gettin' gods knows what, dan work a week or two?!" He spit to the ground again, angry blue eyes fixed on the slender figure in front of him. "What da hell ya think ya mum's gonna say ´bout dat, uh?!"

Admittedly, it seemed to be a weak threat, but Cid had made the experience that it sometimes worked wonders. Even the most delinquent would become tame and almost shy in the presence of their sire and most of them did not wish for their parents to know about what vile things they were secretly doing.

"Don´t know. She´s dead."

So much for that.

After a short moment of awkwardness, Cid murmured "Sorry ta hear dat."

The melancholy that had briefly found its way into Yazoo´s green orbs was hidden by a mask of indifference again, as he said "Whatever. I don´t need your pity or your concern. You don´t have to put me back on the right path or something. I am old enough to decide myself what´s good for me and what´s not."

"Yeah? I´d say ya behaved rather childish yest two bloody nights ´go," Cid shot back with a raised brow, new cigarette already dangling from the corner of his mouth. "Dun flatta yaself pal. I dun give a damn whatcha doin' or not. If I find ya doin' it during da time ya workin' for me though…" he left the rest of the threat open, but his cold, narrowed eyes spoke volumes. "Dun want ya bloody money. Ya workin for me till I say otherwise. Got dat?"

After a moment of stubborn refusal, Yazoo eventually gave a curt, affirmative nod, looking very dissatisfied with the situation, but Cid naturally didn´t care and instead ordered sardonically, "Great. Now swing y'ass back inta da shop an do sumthin' useful for once."

Flicking his half smoked cig away, the blond followed his assistant back into the shop, locking the door behind him just for good measure.

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**More tension... :)**

**Anon:** Mh, I guess you are right: Yazoo would probably prefer a job than having to rob someone´s shop. Maybe ;D But it doesn´t seem so easy to get one, I´m afraid... But we´ll see :) Thank you for reviewing, I´m glad you liked it!

**sareyva:** Maybe Cid thinks it suits him better if he pretends to not care... Or maybe he actually cares but doesn´t want to realise it. Or he doesn´t care at all... XD We´ll have to wait and see. Chr, if Cid would let Yazoo go, the story would end... I´ll take that option in the unlikely case that I don´t feel like finishing this story. Until then Cid will have to bear with Yazoo ;) And it would be great if you would read the rest of the story too! I´ll do my best to make it interesting!!!!

**Valitiel:** Loz and Kadaj will play minor roles in this one. They´ll show up later, and they will be important characters, but this isn´t really a fic about the three... I hope you like it anyway :)

**Koumori-chan:** Ah, I´m happy to hear that!!! Hm, I have to admit that I ignored Cid until recently (when I wrote about him in SwD, to be exact). But he´s an interesting character, so I thought: why not? Heh. Yes; the society-describtion... I learn a lot about it because of my studies, so maybe that´s why I chose that topic ;) I´m glad you liked it! *hugs back*

**juri:** Hey, thanks for your review, I´m glad you like it! I don´t know why no one has written this pairing before, maybe it´s because both characters are not that popular... Yazoo´s a great actor if he wants to be, I think. We´ll see some other roles of him later on :)

**Nice weekend everyone!**

**Oh, and as always I´d be very happy to read your thoughts about this, so leave a review please? Thank you! :)  
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...maybe I should change the rating (?)


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks to PfenixB for betaing!**

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4

The tension between them didn't ease within the next few days. Conversation was kept to a minimum, with which both of them were fine. It wasn't much of a change from before anyway.

By now Cid still had no idea about the circumstances that surrounded Yazoo, but he didn´t ask either. It really wasn´t his business and he sure had enough of his own problems without burdening himself with another person´s.

Yazoo was doing a good job, and that was all that interested him.

It was a few days later, though, that he got involved involuntarily.

It was about mid-day, and Cid had taken over the counter for a while, as he had sent Yazoo into the storeroom to count their stocks on screwdrivers. He lazily rocked backwards and forwards in his chair, occasionally wiping with a cloth over his sweating forehead. The heat was stifling and even the old, dusty ventilator idly rotating under the ceiling didn´t help to ease it. He needed a damn air conditioner, he thought grumpily, when the doorbell rang. Looking up from his tool magazine, Cid found himself suddenly confronted with a bright shock of flaming red hair, a pair of twinkling blue eyes and a huge grin.

The young man dressed in a loose suit casually walked up to the counter with one hand in his pocket, the other tipping against his temple. "Yo."

"Yo," Cid retorted, laying the paper aside and getting up from his chair to lazily lean against the counter. "Whatcha want?"

Having a curious look through the stuffed room with its high, dusty and cramped shelves, the young man shifted his blue eyes back to the shop owner and said with a smile "Actually, I´m lookin' for a person."

Grabbing for his cigs, Cid was about to say something, nodding his thanks at the lighter that was politely held into his direction, when a stunned voice from behind him exclaimed "Reno?"

"Yo, baby," the redhead grinned, drawing Yazoo into his arm as he came over and planting a kiss on his cheek.

Cid blinked in consternation.

Not only because he was a little surprised to see the both of them in an embrace before his counter but also because of the stunning change Yazoo had undergone.

The cold, bitchy indifference and aloofness that usually surrounded him when he was with Cid had been completely replaced. For the first time that the blond knew him he was truly smiling and had he been beautiful before now it was absolutely breath-taking. There was a softness added to his features that spoke of genuine feelings, and a warmness had stolen its way into usually icy green orbs that made the mechanic frown.

"What are you doin' here?" the teen inquired quietly, a light blush brightening his features as Reno drew him even nearer and grinned "What, ya not happy to see me?"

"Of course I am," Yazoo objected, but was appeased by another kiss to his forehead and Reno explaining "Was just around and thought I´d pay ma princess a visit."

Cid´s eyebrow shot up at the nickname but he kept his mouth shut, although he felt kind of like an intruder to their reunion. Which was quite ridiculous because they were standing in _his_ shop, so by all means if anything _they_ were the intruders…

Faintly smiling, Yazoo leaned nearer to his boyfriend´s shoulder, who only slightly surmounted him.

"So, that´s your boss?" Reno eventually said, including Cid back into the conversation. Yazoo nodded, suddenly looking distant again and shooting the mechanic a quick glance.

"Yes, this is Cid Highwind," he finally introduced, warily eyeing the hand that Reno stretched out to his boss.

Cid however shook it heartily and with a tight grip, taking a drag and saying "Nice ta meet ya."

Laughing, Reno shook his red mane, answering "Nah, the pleasure´s all mine, yo. I mean I always said ta him that someday someone would recognize his talent." He pressed Yazoo against him briefly, a proud look in his eyes. "He deserves betta than the streets. So I´m really grateful ya noticed and gave him the chance."

Cid awkwardly nodded at that and threw Yazoo a strange look, but the teen just averted his eyes and had become incredibly interested at counting the screws on the counter.

"Yeah… "

"Okay, just wanted to say hello and see where ya workin', baby. Need ta go back now," Reno informed his boyfriend softly, who reluctantly let go of him.

"See ya at home." He cupped Yazoo´s cheeks and placed another kiss on his lips before turning towards Cid again.

"Really, it´s been a pleasure ta meet ya" he said and looked as if he really meant it, adding with a wink "Take good care of ma princess."

Cid just gave a grunt that could have meant anything and with a last wave the energy bundle that was Reno had vanished through the door as quickly as he had appeared.

Yazoo was still somewhat dreamily staring after him as Cid asked with a raised eyebrow "Dat´s yer boyfriend?"

"Yes," the teen smiled before he noticed to whom he was talking and became his old self again, eyes growing cold and lips contorting back into an unflinching line.

"Seems nice," the older man commented, inwardly wondering how the guy had managed to tame bitchy Yazoo and convert him into the lovely young man he´d become just upon sighting Reno.

"Yes," Yazoo said and silence settled between them.

"So whatcha told him?" Cid eventually asked coolly, not sure if he wanted to know what cooked up stories Yazoo had trotted out. Obviously Reno had no idea why Yazoo was really working here.

Shifting uncomfortably but still managing to look haughty and indifferent, Yazoo replied quietly "I said that you were searching for an assistant and recruited me. On a probationary period, though, that´s why I don´t get any money…"

Cid frowned but didn´t say anything.

"I´ll just tell him that you didn´t want me when I am done compensating for the window," Yazoo added, then licking his lips and looking to the side. "You won´t tell him about… that incident, will you? In the alley I mean…"

"Told ya I ain´t interested in ya business," the blond retorted dismissively, inwardly sighing as he noticed the look of relief in Yazoo´s eyes. "Jus' think ´bout it da next time, before ya startin sumthin like dis."

He had expected to be snapped at to keep his oh-so-wise thoughts to himself but instead Yazoo just nodded.

"Whateva," Cid suddenly snorted, grabbing his magazine and leaving his seat. "´m off. Ya stay here," he ordered and went back to the garage.

*

"Ya late, yo."

"Hn." Tiredly Yazoo let himself unceremoniously fall onto the saggy mattress, face first. He didn´t feel like moving even one finger anymore, not even to get away from the spring pressing in his stomach.

"Awww, poor baby…" Reno drawled, coming over from the kitchen, sitting beside him with a smirk and stroking away some hair from his boyfriend´s face.

Yazoo just sighed quietly, not feeling like getting teased, and closed his eyes.

"Ya boss doesn´t seem such a bad guy ta me," the redhead pondered, while striding his fingers through Yazoo´s long tresses. "After what ya told me I thought God knows what, yo." He chuckled at the memory of Yazoo indignantly and quite miffed, announcing that his boss was a vicious old slavedriver that knew no joy but to torture him with his stinking cigarettes, his ill-mannered speech and his presence in general.

Yazoo just gave a derisive snort, remarking dryly "Try working under him for a week and we´ll talk again."

"I´d love to," Reno sighed, looking somewhat melancholy, but the next moment the impish, ever-present sparkle was back in his eyes. "But ya sure are somethin´, ta get y'self a job at Highwind's, yo." He laughed again, shaking his head a little. Unlike his ignorant boyfriend he knew very well of the infamous Cid Highwind and his unconquerable toolshop. The man was practically a living legend around here.

"Y'already eaten´?"

The silver haired young man opened his eyes again, thinking. Then he looked up at Reno and nodded.

The redhead frowned, then crossed his arms over his chest and looked scoldingly down. "Dun try ta shit me yo, I _know_ you haven´t."

Yazoo shirked from the accusing, slightly angry stare and made his best guilty face.

"Honestly, how much skinnier do ya want to get, yo?" Reno poked his boyfriend softly in the ribs and then stood from the bed with a sigh. Yazoo could hear him walking over into the 'kitchen' (which really was just an old fridge, a sink that stuck right from the wall into the room and a cupboard. Loz had managed to get them a hot plate at some time, that was now carving out a miserable existence on the bare, blotchy wooden panels where it was trampled over by hordes of roaches.). He lazily rolled on his back, staring at the dark ceiling that was only enlightened by a small, old lamp standing in a corner, and the streetlights outside shining through the broken slats. Somewhere outside the noise of something big breaking could be heard, and a little farther away, sirens were filling the night with their angry wailing. The neighbours next door were having one of their deafening arguments, and Yazoo wished that she would finally really go back to her mother, like she always 'threatened'. Gods, how he hated this stinking hole…

A moment later Reno came back, placing a plate with some sandwiches and a bottle of juice on the bed.

Yazoo eyed the food and then looked up at his lover again. "I thought we were stone-broke. Where did you get this from?"

Reno looked at the sandwiches and then shrugged, a boyish grin spreading on his handsome face.

The silver haired youth´s gaze darkened, as he observed the food again and said quietly "You didn´t-"

"Ah, don´t stew ´bout it, yo. It´s there and we´ll eat it now," Reno interrupted, demonstratively grabbing for a tuna sandwich and burying his teeth in it.

After an inviting, almost ordering look from Reno, Yazoo sat up as well and nibbled at his bread, eyeing his boyfriend with hidden discontent. He had a very good idea from where Reno had gotten the money and he absolutely didn´t like it. Just because the redhead and his gang hadn´t been caught at one of their coups yet didn´t mean that he wouldn´t one day. And then what would become of them? But on the other hand they really needed the money, the rent for their apartment, unfortunately, didn´t pay itself, and they needed some food too…

It wasn´t like they weren´t trying to get decent jobs; they really were. But everyone else was as well.

And who was Yazoo to talk, after he had gotten caught at the attempt to increase their non-existent fortune a little? In retrospect he had to admit that it had been a rather stupid action, but it couldn´t be helped now. He was just thankful that Reno hadn´t found out about it.

Sighing, he took another bite from his sandwich without much appetite and chewed it down, leaning into Reno´s shoulder and wondering when Cid would finally release him so that he could try again to earn some real money.

* * *

**And finally Reno joined the fun, too! Yay! XD Mh, I tried to make his character a little 'softer' in this one... Did it work?  
**

**Valitiel: **I´m glad you still like this, although Kadaj and Loz won´t have major roles! As I said, this one will be really dramatic and stuff XD Or at least I´ll try my best to make it interesting;)

**Koumori-chan: **The more I write this the more I like Cid, too! He´s just so unconventional and honest in a way... It´s refreshing :D I hope you liked the new chapter too, I´m doing my best to make it exiting!

**sareyva: **You bet Cid didn´t know what he´d gotten hiself into XD He probably thought that Yazoo was some dense, but good boy he ould exploit a little or something... Poor guy :) But in the end he´ll be glad that he went through all the things to come, I´m sure!

**Review please?**


	5. Chapter 5

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**Thanks to my wonderful beta PfenixB for helping with this chapter too!**

**Enjoy!**

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5

A few days later Cid came shuffling down the stairs and strode over to the shop door, unlocking it and turning the sign to 'open'. To his mild surprise he found Yazoo waiting before the door not in his usual, rather revealing clothes but a dark, long sleeved turtle neck and long trousers. It wasn't even raining or anything.

He looked positively overtired, his long hair hanging in his gaunt face. Cid contemplated for a moment if he should sent him home, asking if he was sick or something, but Yazoo almost hastily denied that, saying that he was alright and felt good enough to work.

That in itself should have made Cid suspicious, because most of the time he was under the impression that the teen couldn´t await the moment when he could finally leave the cramped, sticky shop and get away from Cid´s presence and his 'disgusting coffin nails'.

But since the blond was awaiting an important client this morning, he was elsewhere with his thoughts and just gave Yazoo his to-do-list, leaving the shop in his care.

Just yesterday he´d made a test with the boy; namely 'accidently' leaving a full cash box open.

It definitely had been enough for someone as corrupted and without prospects as Yazoo to be a tempting offer to just screw it, take the money and leave the city with his lover. Of course Cid had made precautions so that they wouldn´t have gone far.

But nothing had happened. Or maybe that wasn´t true, because when he had come back in the shop to see if Yazoo was still there, the youth had informed him from the counter that Cid had forgotten to lock the cash box.

Now, Cid found that to be interesting information, because it also told him, that Yazoo had actually _checked_ it, for whatever reason. Apparently he´d decided to behave though, and the blond seemingly absent-mindedly had said that he´d left it open on purpose so Yazoo could also cashier. Out of the corner of his eye he´d noticed the strange look the young man had shot him, something between disbelieving-sceptical and unsure.

The "Thank you" he´d received had startled the mechanic though, but he´d just waved a hand in dismissal. It wasn´t like he trusted Yazoo now or something…

It was just a practical matter; he could better concentrate on the garage without having to come to the shop for every screw they sold.

At the end of the day the money had been the right amount of what it should have been, so Cid did not see why Yazoo shouldn´t continue to take care of the shop in the future.

Future… That was a word that made the man´s stomach ache and he´d rather not have to think about it. But sooner or later it was inevitable anyways…

By now Yazoo had worked for twice the amount the window would have cost, but Cid could always argue that he had to learn his lesson and therefore letting him work a little more was justified. But the truth was: Yazoo was a good worker and despite being somewhat snappy and his delicate appearance he didn't ever complain, did his work well and the customers liked his calm, serious, but not unfriendly attitude.

He was a great help, really and Cid would certainly have agreed with his boyfriend that he deserved better than the streets. But under no circumstances could Cid afford to pay him the wages he deserved.

Wiping away some oil from his forehead, the blond man put the tool aside, giving his work a last scrutinizing look and then deciding that he needed a break.

Coming back into the shop he grabbed for the sandwich he had Yazoo get him earlier and casually leaned on the counter, chewing.

That moment Yazoo chose to come back from the storeroom. Carrying a heavy box before him and not seeing the obstacle, he tripped over the man´s stretched out feet. The box clattered to the ground but Cid quick-wittedly grabbed for the teen´s wrist before he could follow.

Hissing, the young man tried to withdraw his arm, but more so on reflex than ill intend. While Yazoo was still somewhat confused by his near fall and tried to regain his equilibrium, the blond pulled away the sleeve with narrowed eyes, revealing a huge purple bruise.

"What's dat?" he asked suspiciously, mustering his assistant, who just looked down at his arm and the wound, pulling the sleeve back over it and claiming "I hit the shelves earlier. It's really cramped in your storeroom you know."

There was a slightly accusing undertone in his voice, making Cid take another grumpy bite from his sandwich. Not feeling like having _that_ discussion again –Yazoo had just 'mentioned' the 'fact' that his storeroom was 'bursting at the seams' approximately 647,393 times too often for Cid´s liking- the mechanic just leaned back and ingested his hard earned sandwich. He watched Yazoo carefully lift the box again and carry it towards a shelf, where he opened it and started unpacking the contents.

The rest of the day was spent in relative silence and peace, without much happening. Cid closed the garage earlier and then went behind the counter so Yazoo could have another look through the storeroom.

It said 'storeroom', but actually it was just an accumulation of boxes and various –partially rather sharp- stuff. Totally confusing and inefficient, Yazoo had curtly told him and after some more bitching and cold remarks Cid had eventually grudgingly agreed that he may categorize and sort it.

Normally the blond didn't like people sticking their snotty little noses into his things and trying to order him around, but even he had seen that this storeroom had become a dangerous catastrophe, and in all honesty even he avoided having to go in there…

"Yo!"

Looking up from his catalog, the badly shaved man came face to face with the sparkling eyes of Reno, who casually leaned over the counter and looked back at him with open and honest friendliness.

"Hey pal," Cid greeted with a wry smile. Somehow he really liked the kid. Reno just had some kind of openness and honesty around him that most of the slums inhabitants lacked, the usual, sly gleam being absent in his pure eyes. Cid liked him even more when he offered one of his cigs to the man, winking and mumbling "Just don't tell the princess. He gets all bitchy about cancer and stuff."

"Not a word," the other assured, smirk growing larger. Apparently he wasn´t the only one that fell victim to Yazoo´s cool enlightenments about lung cancer and impotence, although he was never concerned about the effects smoking would take on Cid, but himself as a passive-smoker.

Inhaling deeply with his head thrown back slightly, Cid listened to what had brought Reno here today.

"Ya know, I´m a little early, I thought ta myself 'Reno, ya should go fetch ya princess today'," the redhead exhaled, blue eyes mustering Cid and clearly seeking for permission to take Yazoo home earlier. "He´s always workin' so hard, I thought I should take him out for dinner or something. Whaddaya think?"

"Sounds a'right ta me," the older man agreed good-naturedly, but still maintaining his natural grumpy expression, and snipped the ash of his cigarette into an empty, old can that now served as ashtray.

The young man´s smile went even wider and almost impish.

"Would ya mind gettin' him for me then?"

Cid shook his head, stubbing out his cigarette and walking to the storeroom.

He was about to just yell inside that Yazoo could go now, when he shut his mouth as soon as he´d opened it. The boy was crouched down with his back towards the mechanic, looking through various boxes in concentration and making notes on a clipboard. He strode away so some of his long tresses fell back into his line of vision as soon as he shifted his head a little. But what caught Cid´s eye was a small stripe of white skin between his waistband and where his shirt had ride up. It wasn´t exactly white skin, though.

More like abused, purplish blue and green-yellow, interrupted by glowing red welts. Before he could say anything though, Yazoo noticed his presence and rose from his crouched position, head inclined in question and clipboard pulled under his arm.

"I'm almost done here," he said, but Cid just waved a hand in dismissal, informing him "Ya done for taday. Ya boyfriend's waitin'."

Now, actually the blond had expected Yazoo to get all lovey-dovey and float on a pink cloud into the store but the boy´s reaction was a little ambiguous.

"Reno?" he asked uncertainly, making Cid lift an eyebrow and retort "Yeah, how many other boyfriends ya have?"

He almost regretted it when Yazoo seemed to flinch a little, and the cold, dismissive expression was back on him. "I have only Reno of course."

"Yeah?" the mechanic simply made, not knowing what else to say. Still Yazoo remained glued to the spot he was standing on.

"Ya dun want ta go ta him or what?"

"Of course I want to," Yazoo retorted coolly, but then cast his eyes to the side and asked quietly "Did he say what he wanted?"

Leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, Cid informed him about Reno's plan to take him out, not failing to see the faint hint of relief that appeared in the boy´s eyes and the relaxation of his tense shoulders.

Finally putting the clipboard on one of the boxes and switching off the single lightbulb, the silver haired beauty left the store room and followed Cid back to the shop.

Upon seeing Yazoo enter, Reno´s face instantly lit up and he drew the man in his arms, giving him a hug and a kiss "Hey baby!"

Yazoo graced him with a faint smile and leaned against his chest, only flinching a little when Reno took his hand. The redhead noticed the shudder and concernedly rolled up the sleeve a little, wincing as the huge bruise came into view "Gods, baby, that looks awful…"

Yazoo remained silent, looking to the side and sighing Reno pulled the fabric back carefully.

"Fell down the stairs yesterday," he explained into Cid´s direction, planting a gentle kiss on his lover´s cheek and smiling "He´s such a klutz sometimes."

Yazoo smiled back, -a smile that, in Cid´s eyes, seemed far too polished and empty to be genuine- looking apologetic.

"So I guess we're off now," Reno declared gaily, his arm around Yazoo's shoulder and guiding the young man out, waving at Cid over his shoulder and then saying something into his boyfriend's ear that made him chuckle.

With narrowed eyes the man watched them vanishing outside and then grabbed for another cigarette.

* * *

**And the drama begins... ^^**

**Valitiel: **Yeah, I really wouldn´t want to live there... I´m glad that there are no cockroaches in my homecountry^^. I´m sure Cid would pay him if he could! Poor guys...

**sareyva:** Haha, yes, I bet there are much more exciting jobs than working at Cid´s... Oh, I´m curious; what did you think the situation would be with Reno? And we got a little glimpse at the tragedy in this chapter. It´ll probably become more in the next chapter^^

**Koumori-chan:** Yay, I´m glad you liked it! The Reno/Yazoo part wasn´t an actual part of the story, I wrote it last minute, because I wanted to see them interact a bit.^^

**luvyuyu:** Thank you, I´m happy that you like it so far^^ Of course Cid will give his love, sooner or later. One just has to get through to him first ;)

**Review please?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Another chapter, a little earlier this time because I don´t know if I have the time to update during the weekend.**

**Thanks again to PfenixB for the awesome betaing** (btw: she has written a great story starring Vincent and Cid, it´s called 'Hansel and Gretel'. I highly recommend reading it :))

**Warnings for this chapter: uhm... more swearing, bruises and drama?**

**Enjoy!**

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6

The next morning Yazoo was in a considerably better mood, if not elated. As elated as Yazoo could be in the presence of a moody Cid Highwind, that was. But even the mechanic's grumpy face couldn't do anything to wipe away that stupidly happy expression radiating from under the mask of cool indifference the youth always wore when he was at work.

"Whatcha so happy 'bout?" Cid growled, finding it extremely annoying and fumbling for his well deserved morning cigarette.

"What, do I have to justify it?" Yazoo replied coolly, adding with a mean smirk "Maybe you should get laid once in a while, it would definitely do your attitude some good. You seem a little… frustrated."

"An get maself beaten inta a bloody pulp? Na thanks; can do without dat," the mechanic shot back, effectively smacking the rapturous expression from his assistant´s face, as he slowly tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. "I have no idea what you want to say with that inept comment."

"Yeah," Cid snorted, blowing out a cloud of smoke "I´m talkin 'bout da friggin bruise on yer arm for starters."

"I believe I already told you that I got this because I fell down the stairs," the silver haired man replied, clearly not enjoying this conversation.

"An' here I thought it was ma bloody store dat caused ya 'accidental' bruises," came the snappy reply. Cid leaned against the counter, arms crossed over his chest and shooting his assistance a challenging, daring and slightly sarcastic look. The obligatory cig was dangling from the corner of his mouth, thin trails of smoke idly crawling towards the ceiling and mingling with the dusty air.

Yazoo looked a little taken aback for a moment, but then his fine brows drew together as he replied "I do not have to listen to this. It's not your business and just because you don't get anything into your bed doesn't mean that you have to badmouth everyone else's relationships." With that he pressed his pouty lips together, turned on his heels and went off to his store room.

"Yeah? I dun giva bloody damn ´bout ya an ya shagga!" Cid yelled after him, banging the door shut behind him in agitation as he withdrew into his garage.

Honestly who did the bitch think he was?! As if Cid didn´t have other things to do than sticking his nose into other peoples lifes! Because he HAD and he definitely didn´t give a bloody damn about the sissy!

Smashing the screwdriver into the tool box, he reached for another cigarette and swore to himself to never ever say a word to the runt again.

And he was true to his word for another week.

They barely spoke to each other, but that wasn´t much of a change to the days before.

It was on a Tuesday, though, that he opened the front door and the usual spot where Yazoo was leaning on was vacant. Frowning, he had a look to the left and right, but there was no silver haired youth to be seen, only dust trailed over the hot, glimmering street.

Cid also didn´t say anything when two hours later his assistance limped past the counter, mumbling a curt apology with downcast eyes and went straight to his store room.

Cid kept his mouth shut when Yazoo showed him is brand new engagement ring, a thin silver band with a green stone, the following day. He even agreed to come to the wedding; Yazoo had graciously mentioned he could come to if he felt like it. There had been a slightly gleeful and haughty undertone when he made the offering, though. Probably wanted to rub it under the mechanic's nose how _fine_ he was.

There were moments though, where Cid just wanted to grab the boy by the shoulder and shake all the ignorance and stupidity out of him. But he didn´t.

It wasn't Cid's business and as long as Yazoo was efficient at work there was no way in hell he'd say anything!

It was on the following Friday that he had enough.

Sitting hunched over his paperwork and with a mayor headache trying to make a sense out of all the numbers and letters, a sound caught his ears.

"Holy shit, nat _again_!"

Jumping to his feet and grabbing for his spear, the mechanic didn't even bother throwing over a shirt or putting out his cig. Fuming and with absolute violent intent, Cid silently rushed down the stairs, eager to just beat the shit out of whoever dared to invade his home at 3 am in the fucking morning!

He had enough of being mister nice guy, for once and for all!

The noise came from the broken window Cid hadn´t repaired yet and angrily the mechanic directed his spear at it, with the other hand smashing on the light switch and growling frighteningly "Now ya bloody damn-" He stopped then, though, narrowing his eyes.

"Yazoo?"

Confused, Cid withdrew his spear as he noticed the hunched figure on the floor that looked up at him with equally big eyes.

"Whadda hell ya doin here?!"

"I was just… I," the young man tried to find an excuse but then just gave up and admitted unemotionally, "I had an argument with Reno… I didn't know where else to go…"

"So ya planned on sleepin on ma floor," Cid concluded, adding with biting sarcasm and a bit of gloating satisfaction "Sorry pal but yer problems ain't ma business."

His brief feeling of triumph was over when he noticed the blank expression and the utter confusion hidden underneath, as the young man said slowly "My apologies, I´ll just go-"

The sound of the spear colliding with the wall as Cid leaned his weapon aside, made the boy flinch and stop in his speech.

Sighing, the mechanic crouched down and reached out to the sitting figure but Yazoo automatically shifted away, shielding his head on reflex as if he expected Cid to lash out at him.

"Oi kid, stop dat, I ain't hurtin ya," the blond frowned, withdrawing his hand and rubbing over his chin. He so wanted a cig now…

"I'm sorry, of course you would not…" Yazoo managed, licking his lips and looking up at Cid again, but still protectively bending over his left arm.

"May I see dat arm?" Cid asked, trying to speak slowly and clearly so as not to upset the bemused youth.

Yazoo blinked at him, then looked uncertainly towards his arm but eventually lifted it slowly so Cid got better access. Carefully the man rolled up the sleeve and made a face when he saw the thing being violet and red, and unhealthily swollen.

"Can ya move ya fingas?" he asked, observing how Yazoo tried to move his shaking fingers and then carefully feeling the limb up.

"Nat broken," the mechanic mumbled, a little relieved. "Can ya stand up n walk?"

He got a curt nod, but had to help up the youth anyway and also needed to support him, as Yazoo slowly limped beside him. They made it up the stairs to Cid´s apartment and eventually the man sat his assistance down on the sofa in his small living room, switching on a floor lamp.

"Need ta wash dat with alcohol," he informed the youth and vanished in the kitchen to get some high-proof alcohol he usually kept for cleaning his oily hands.

Yazoo didn't say anything, just had a somewhat withdrawn look through the small apartment.

It was camped and disorganized, just like the shop -and Cid in general- was. One could easily tell that this was a bachelor's household, totally lacking the sense of coziness and warmth that usually came with a woman's presence. The room was furnished only with the most necessary, and the rest of the space was occupied by tools and machine-parts. The ragged poster of a pin-up girl hung shamelessly from one wall, saucily winking at the blank-faced youth. All in all the apartment looked like some strange mixture of a garage and a living room colliding. It even smelled of oil and dust up here, the only difference from the garage was the heavy, underlying smell of cooked food. It wasn't an unpleasant fragrance, though.

Coming back into the living room, the mechanic placed the bottle of alcohol on the crowded table, shoving away an ashtray and some magazines, and crouched down before the trembling youth.

"Need yer arm," Cid instructed much softer than one would have expected from him. Yazoo just held his arm towards the man, clenching his teeth as the biting alcohol made contact with the abused skin.

Rubbing over the red flesh with the cloth swiftly, Cid tried to zone out the muffled, pained pants and concentrated on his job. It really looked awful and the mechanic didn't want to think about what force had been necessary to destroy it so thoroughly. Eventually he was done, putting the cloth aside and asking "Ya have any otha injuries?"

Yazoo looked uncertain for a moment, then nodded. "On my back… And my legs."

Sighing, Cid rubbed his eyes, then said "Could ya undress?"

The youth nodded again, hesitantly and awkwardly took off his shirt and turned his back towards his employer.

"What the fuck?!" the man gasped upon seeing the cluster of red welts and almost black bruises marring the porcelain skin. Some of them oozed blood, others looked distinctively older and already half healed.

Cid sat beside the teen, bending over the arched back and taking a closer look. It seemed like someone had whipped the boy with a belt or something. And there, in the middle of a particular devious bruise was the imprint of a… ring?

"Ya fiancé did this?" It was more of a bitter statement than an actual question.

Yazoo remained silent for a moment, but then said almost inaudibly "He loves me. It´s just that he's really having a hard time with not finding a job, and when he has drunk too much alcohol, he gets… a little angry sometimes."

"A little angry?" Cid snorted in disbelieve, briefly closing his eyes, taking a deep breath and trying to not yell. "Let me tell ya sumthin kiddo, I've had ma fair share of problems an frustration too, but I neva eva hurt ma woman! An so do othas without havin ta beat deir lovas inta bloody pulps, ya hear me? Ain't da first time he´s done dat, eh?"

"It's not his fault!" Yazoo snapped, making Cid shake his head in exasperation.

"Den whose fault is it? Yas?!"

"Actually yes, it is," the teen 'admitted', drawing his legs towards his chest and hugging them with a cold look while Cid grabbed for the bottle and the cloth again. "I know how much he loves me but how stressed he is, so I should not provoke him. He's a bit jealous."

"Dat's nat love kiddo, dat's just sick," the mechanic replied, head tilted and focused on the youth´s back.

"He's not!" Yazoo objected almost angrily, shooting Cid a look from behind his bangs and explaining "He´s always saying how sorry he is and that it actually hurts him more than me."

"Yeah?" Cid doubted and pressed the alcohol-soaked cloth to an open wound, making the teen flinch on purpose. "Ya feel dat? I bet ya friggin Reno ain't had da faintest idea o' what dat feels like. How long ya intend ta take it? Till he´s beaten ya dead?"

Yazoo remained silent, only leaning his head against his knees and letting Cid take care of his abused body. He was still trembling, looking physically and emotionally exhausted and just simply too tired to fight now.

Cid wasn´t even sure if he could blame the boy for his ignorance. Admittedly Reno had even almost blinded him with his boyish charm and open shows of affection. How was Yazoo, who trusted and loved him, supposed to see that this relationship wasn't anything to do with love anymore? It was simply destructive and if he didn´t start facing reality Yazoo would find himself in a hospital next time, if not worse.

Setting aside the cloth and the bottle again, Cid grabbed for a much needed cigarette, asking if Yazoo felt able to treat his legs himself or if he required Cid's help. The teen answered that he could do it himself and the mechanic retreated into his small bathroom to give him some privacy. And because he really thought he couldn't take seeing any more bruises and welts without snapping and paying Reno a little visit to make him experience firsthand how it _really_ felt!

He really didn´t get it… What could drive a person to do such things? Maybe one could do such things to a person he really hated, but one he loved? Shaking his head, the mechanic sat down on the closed toilet seat, brushing the tip of his cig against the sink and taking another deep drag.

It was a crime on itself no doubt, but doing it to someone like Yazoo… This was really sick. That was not to say that Cid wasn´t sometimes tempted to smack that smug expression from his assistant's face, but thinking and actually doing were two entirely different things and Cid would never EVER take the last step!

Besides, he hadn't been under the impression that Yazoo was particularly offending towards Reno, quite the contrary. He obviously tried to please his boyfriend, going so far as to defend him for his brutal actions and blaming himself.

Throwing the cigarette out of the open window, Cid glanced at his watch and waited for another twenty minutes, taking a quick shower while he was trapped here anyway.

When he came back to the living room Yazoo was already sound asleep, a blanket thrown over his slim, abused body. Closing the bottle and setting it aside, the mechanic decided to leave the paperwork be and take a nap too. God knew he needed it.

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**Don´t worry, I will elaborate the events I just broached. I know it seems a bit rushed but these things will be told from Yazoo´s POV^^**

**luvyuyu:** You suspected right, Reno did somehing to Yazoo :) About Reno robbing Cid´s shop: this thought crossed my mind as well and I found it to be a really tempting idea, but in the end it wouldn´t have fit into the plotline and just unneccesarily complicated it, so I had to abandon it :(

**Valitiel:** Yes, that doesn´t look good, does it? And it wasn´t a very clever lie Reno gave...^^

**Koumori-chan:** Haha, yes, I really don´t know why it always happens to him XD Some day I´ll write a fic with him being the aggressor^^ Well, the abuser actually is Reno... But this doesn´t mean that he is a wholly bad person, I think. We´ll just have to see how things are developing ;)

**jennie300303: **Oh I´m sorry, but actually I did make Reno an abusive lover :( But there is always a reason why people act like they do, and I certainly will not just simply let him be a superficial, evil antagonist in this story. And people always could change, couldn´t they? ;)

**Xyleel:** Oh hallo! Schön dich hier zu sehen *echt freu* Haha, denk ich mir auch immer: solange Yazoo dabei ist (und sich auch einigermaßen wie Yazoo verhält) ist alles okay ;) Aber freut mich dass es bis jetzt funktioniert. Es wird noch kompliziert wenn die beiden sich dann erst mal als potentielle Partner füreinander entdecken *seufz* Mal sehen ob ich das hinkriege. Ja, naja, Reno ist etwas durch den Wind in dieser Story, aber er ist ja nicht abgrundtief böse. Etwas überfordert vielleicht. Aber ich will nicht zuviel verraten^^

**sareyva: **Yes, you are defintely, right: there´s slowly trust building between them. Cid´s just in denial^^ As you already know now it really was Reno, and his excuse was VERY lame, yes. Actually I only made Reno and Yazoo a pair because I didn´t have the nerv to dscribe 2 developing relationships :D The one with Cid and Yazoo is complicated enough *sigh* But it´s fun to write them and hopefully things will stay unpredicatable ;)

**Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing, I appreciate that very much!!! **

**:)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hiya! Another chapter and more angsting and as promised this time we´ll get a look at what Yazoo hinks of the events ^^**

**Special thanks to PfenixB for the awesome betaing!!!**

**Enjoy!**

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7

Slowly, Yazoo blinked his eyes open, drowsily taking in his surroundings.

Something was wrong…

His whole body was hurting like hell and the familiar weight of an arm draped around his waist was missing…

Taking in the brown cushions under his face, the scratched wooden table and the old blotched carpet he definitely knew that he wasn´t home.

But where…

As he tried to get up from his position lying on his stomach, an angry jolt of pain pierced through his whole body. It brought back the memory with sickening clarity.

Reno… The 'argument'… escape… Cid…

He squeezed his eyes shut again, trying to will the images away.

Just why… had everything become just so fucked up?!

It had started so very beautiful with them!

He remembered the first time they´d met and when everything had been alright so vividly as if it was just yesterday…

To say that it was love on first sight may have overdone it a bit, but the moment Loz had brought him home, Reno had taken over the kitchen with his sheer presence and charisma. He and his buddy Rude were part of the gang Loz was also a member of, and apparently they had wanted to discuss something or other, Yazoo hadn´t known. He had been 14 at that time, almost 15, and Reno had just fascinated him. He was about two years older, had these intriguing red tattoos under his eyes and was part of Loz´ gang. Plus that he was handsome of course, straightforward, funny and very charming. And apparently Yazoo had caught his eye, because from that first day on, Reno became a regular guest, and he always made sure to see Yazoo too.

Loz watched their developing relationship with skepticism at first, for he was very protective of Yazoo. Despite the fact that Yazoo had a whole bunch of secret admirers he exploited for presents and little favours in all conscience, Loz believed that his beautiful brother would be dead meat if he didn´t take care of him and scare every potential partner away.

With Reno it was different. He was a friend Loz trusted. And Reno did not even try to conceal his interest for Yazoo, making him compliments, bringing little presents such as flowers he put into Yazoo´s hair, taking him out for strolls, searching for body contact; the list was endless. And for Yazoo it was different too, because this somehow was more than just fooling around or taking advantage of a crush.

Eventually innuendos became more concrete, and after they had shared their first kiss it was official that they belonged together. Loz had a long talk with Reno before eventually, albeit grudgingly, giving his amen. Once he´d gotten used to the idea he was fine with it though, even calling Reno his brother-in-law and everything had been so very perfect.

Nothing had mattered but their being together, which also led to Yazoo quitting school because he thought it to be meaningless (much to the dismay of his teachers, who thought that he was a good student when he wanted to be and had a very good chance of going to college). It really had been the best time of his life so far and the best thing was that he and Reno never argued. Everything just seemed to play out naturally.

Well, once in a while Yazoo mentioned that he wished Reno would stop smoking because it was bad for his health, but the redhead always laughed, kissed him and promised he´d try. At least it had become remarkably less over the years…

The first time Reno hit him was approximately three months after they had officially come together. They went out to a bar, Reno saying that he felt a little moody and wanted to party. He drunk quite a bit and dragged Yazoo on the dance floor, whispering into his ear how beautiful he was and how he loved showing him off.

Yazoo smirked at that and pressed his body harder against Reno´s and the evening was fun. Just until the point when someone from the gang had the bright idea to ask Yazoo to dance with him too.

It was utterly harmless and Reno had been at the bar to get more drinks so Yazoo thought it was okay. Johnny was a good friend of theirs, after all. Apparently Reno had a different opinion though, because when he came back to the table, seeing his boyfriend being touched by someone else, he marched straight on the dance floor, grabbed Yazoo´s wrist and dragged him out of the club to confront him about his 'slutty' behaviour.

Although Yazoo told him that he was hurting his wrist Reno didn´t loosen his grip and pushed him against a wall outside, demanding to know what he was doing. Confused and quite a bit scared Yazoo had told him that he´d only been dancing with Johnny and Reno had snorted at that, telling him that he didn´t believe that because everyone knew that Johnny had the biggest crush on Yazoo since _ever_ and then he had said some insulting things about Yazoo being a bitch – Reno 'proved' with the 'fact' that before they had come together Yazoo had been fucking around like a rabbit and that he was obviously still doing so even though he was in an exclusive relationship with Reno now. This in turn made the silver haired teen angry -because he had ditched his admirers about 4 months ago- and he said that maybe Reno was right, maybe Johnny was much better suited for him.

It was then that Reno´s hand slipped and he slapped Yazoo square in the face. The boy was too shocked to say something, only staring at Reno with big eyes, who didn´t look any less bewildered. The next moment the redhead hugged him though, telling the silver haired youth how sorry he was and that he hadn´t meant it and Yazoo assuring that he hadn´t been serious either and they agreed to just forget it.

The next time it happened was because of a similar case, Reno accusing him of having flirted with the barman and this time it wasn´t just a slap but a punch to the stomach and several hits on the shoulder.

They made up the next day, Reno promising to never do it again and even crying when he saw the bruises.

It went like this for the next few years.

Whenever he drank too much, Reno lost control to the point where he sometimes didn´t even remember the next day what he´d done. But he always apologized, assuring Yazoo how much he loved him, how sorry he was, that he would stop drinking now and that he only had gotten emotional (read: violent) because he was afraid Yazoo would leave him in favour of someone else. Yazoo always said that he wouldn´t even think about the possibility and for a few weeks it was just bliss, because Reno was so very attentive and gentle with him. And no one ever asked about the bruises, not even Loz.

Maybe they didn´t see, didn´t want to see, or just didn´t care. Yazoo always had an excuse too.

Besides, their arguments were always soon forgotten, because all good things happened shortly after one of Reno´s fits. They had their first sex, they decided to live together and Reno asked if Yazoo wanted to marry him…

And of course Yazoo wanted to, he thought. Although he felt a little different this time.

Maybe it was… because of Cid Highwind.

Admittedly Yazoo thought the man was quite ill-mannered and potty-mouthed, but his comment about Yazoo letting himself been beaten into a 'bloody pulp´ was something akin to a mental punch in the guts.

Maybe it was because no one ever had stated the fact quite so bluntly and right into his face, since everyone else didn´t seem to care or mind, but it did something to him, something he didn´t know if he liked.

It made him think and see things in a somewhat different light. Of course Yazoo told himself that Cid didn´t know anything and that it wasn´t his business at all, but the small nagging voice in the back of his mind became harder and harder to ignore.

The next time, when Reno in another fit of anguish kicked his hip and leg so hard that he could barely walk and needed two hours to reach the shop, he inwardly was almost afraid that Cid would say something again, that he would rub it right into his face, because Yazoo somehow felt so pathetic…

But the mechanic didn´t say anything at all. And the fact that it didn´t make Yazoo feel relieved or satisfied kept him thinking the whole day. Of course he was glad that he didn´t have to explain himself to a total stranger who didn´t know anything anyway, but the usual peace of mind he had when he thought about coming home and making up with Reno didn´t come this time.

Yazoo also caught himself thinking what may happen if maybe… he just didn´t go home. The thought then frightened him to no end and he instantly shoved it away.

Because it was just ridiculous. He would never leave Reno, he loved him and he knew that Reno loved him equally, if not more. It was just hard times and Reno needed him now especially. They had overcome any other obstacle together before and they would do so in the future!

But it had been easier to find comfort in these thoughts when he´d stayed at home all day, being only with Reno and not having the piercing, scrutinizing eyes of his employer boring in his back. He really had craved for his isolation and safe home when he had started working for Cid. There had always been the fear of being raped or taken advantage of, because Reno had warned him that people would do that to a beautiful person like him sooner or later and that he had to be cautious. Over time that had changed, though. He found that he had fun working in the shop and talking to other people beside Reno and occasionally Loz or Rude when they came for a visit.

Things became… broader.

So when he went home that day it was with mixed feelings and for the first time the youth thought that maybe he shouldn´t forgive Reno that easily.

Upon entering their small apartment, though, he was instantly lifted into the arms of one exuberant Reno who carried the startled young man through the corridor bridal style and sat him down on the kitchen chair. Reno had put quite some effort into decorating the table and apparently he´d cooked something good. A red table cloth was laid out, a bottle of wine was waiting to be opened, and a single candle flickered beside a rose that was put on Yazoo´s place.

Reno told him to just relax and don´t do anything because tonight it was on him to indulge his princess and with a half hearted smile Yazoo obliged. He was rather monosyllabic though, not as enthusiastic as he normally would have been if Reno had pulled something like this. He wasn´t very hungry either, and he picked at the food on his plate without really eating it and thinking about how he could possibly bring up the incident from the previous night.

Yazoo felt that maybe, it was at least time to…start talking about it or something, instead of just pretending that it would never happen again. But just as he had gathered enough courage to open his mouth, Reno spoke up, apparently oblivious to Yazoo´s unusual mood. He took his white hand into his own, smiled a little nervously and then said "Baby, I need to tell ya something."

Yazoo licked his lips, saying "That´s good, I wanted to say something too."

Reno looked at him with curiosity but Yazoo, feeling not so brave anymore, just mumbled that Reno should start, and he did.

"Okay, I´m not that good with words and stuff, yo. But we´ve been together for quite some time now, and those years with you have without question been the damn best in my life. I know it´s been difficult at times, but even during that you´ve stayed with me. I know I´m a real asshole sometimes and you probably deserve someone better than me, yo" he licked his lips, his thumb stroking over Yazoo´s palm, as he, with the other hand, fumbled in the pocket of his suit.

Then he slipped from his own chair, kneeling before Yazoo and looking up into his stunned face.

"I love you more than anything and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Yazoo. So; do you want to marry me?"

Yazoo was too overwhelmed to form a coherent sentence and so he just fell round his lover's neck, letting Reno kiss him and put the ring -to which the redhead had the equal- on his trembling hand. He didn´t know where Reno had gotten the money for such an expensive thing, but he didn´t ask either.

All misery and pain forgotten, they celebrated their engagement, making love and generally just being happy and exuberant and making plans for the future. The euphoria lasted the next day (even going so far that Yazoo invited his grumpy employer to his wedding, which he also did with the haughty triumph of showing the man how wrong he was and how Yazoo felt and that his relationship with Reno was just _fine.) _It was good for the next few days too, until Friday night.

Reno was out with the boys to make his engagement official and celebrate and Yazoo decided to stay home and go to bed early because he was tired from work.

It was some time shortly after midnight that he woke again as the door shut with a bang and Reno stumbled through the apartment. A moment later the bedroom door was opened and a heavy weight settled on the mattress. Crawling towards his lover, Reno nuzzled his nose into the nape of his neck, reeking of alcohol. "Hey baby, I´m back," he murmured, speech sounding a little slurred.

"Mh," Yazoo hummed drowsily, lifting his arm so Reno could slip his own around his waist.

Instead of just lying down beside him and go to sleep, the redhead apparently had other plans for the rest of the night, as his lips wandered over Yazoo´s neck towards his ear and his hand started stroking his fiancée's flat belly, pushing over the thin fabric of his sleeping shirt.

"´m tired," the silver haired teen objected, eyes still closed as he floated on the border of sleep again, but Reno wasn´t discouraged in the slightest. Instead he pressed himself against the still figure, making him feel his erection and hands and mouth becoming more forceful, his heavy breathing rushing out in pants.

"C´mon baby…" his hand roughly pulled the shirt aside, when Yazoo shifted away and sighed

"Reno I´m really tired and I have to work early…"

The hand stopped abruptly and Yazoo thought that they could go to sleep now, but he should have known better.

"Ya sayin´I hinder ya from workin?"

It was said in a cold, grave voice that made fine hairs stand up on Yazoo´s arm. Opening his eyes he instantly tried to appease him. "Of course not, I would never say such a thing."

"Yeah? Ya not sayin it, but ya thinkin it, don´t ya?" Cruel fingers pinched soft flesh and Yazoo gasped, objecting "No I don´t, really! Please stop that Reno…"

"Ya think I´m stupid or something, don´t ya?" the drunken redhead continued unfazed, pinching again and sitting up, shifting on the bed, struggling for his equilibrium. He was drunker than Yazoo had thought.

"Ya know I´m kinda sick of hearing you constantly babble about ya fuckin work," he hissed, frustration evident in his voice, and from the corner of his eye Yazoo could see Reno fumbling at his waistband.

Oh gods, not the belt please…

Lying stiffly on the bed and not daring to move, Yazoo tried his best to assure his fiancé that he hadn´t meant it like this, saying softly "I´m sorry, I won´t do it again if it offends you."

"Ya think I like feelin like a complete loser or what? Ya think I want to have no work, earn no cash ta provide ya with a nice life?" the redhead ignored every attempt to calm him down. "Well, princess, guess I have bad news for ya then."

And with that he pulled his belt from his trousers in one fluid motion.

"Cos I don´t."

While the leather strap lashed on the small figure of Yazoo -who had rolled into a ball and shielded his face with his left arm, biting his teeth to not sob or cry out and upset Reno even more- the redhead continued in his drunken ranting.

"Ya think ya something betta now or what? I bet ya do… I bet ya and ya friggin boss just sit in ya bloody little rat-shop an laugh yaself silly ´bout stupid, useless yours truly, eh? Or maybe ya doin sumthin else entirely, eh? Dun think I haven´t seen how he´s lookin at ya, princess, dat old fart wants ta fuck ya! Ya spreadin ya legs for him, eh? HEH?!"

Yazoo whimpered at a particular strong lash and tried to shake his head that no, he wasn´t fucking Cid Highwind, but Reno just snorted. "Yeah, dat´s exactly what a bloody slut like ya would do."

His face became grim suddenly as his movements stopped and his crystal blue eyes glimmered in the darkness where he knelt above Yazoo on the bed. "But ya mine princess, ya hear me? Ya won´t fuck him, yo. And ya won´t refuse _me_. _Ever_."

And to Yazoo´s utter horror he pulled down his pants and crept forward, reaching out to grab Yazoo´s wrist and strap them together with the belt so that he could not struggle while at the same time trying to force open Yazoo´s legs with his knees.

Now, in all the years and the violent attacks Reno had launched at him, he had never tried to sexually touch him against his will. Nor had Yazoo ever tried to fight back. But tonight there seemed to be a first time for both.

Suddenly jerking awake from his lethargy as the meaning of what was just about to happen finally sank in, Yazoo moved his knee up on reflex and effectively hit his lover in the crotch. Doubling over and hissing, Reno momentarily let go and Yazoo stumbled from the bed, grabbing for some clothes and fleeing out of the apartment within mere seconds, barely hearing the curses the redhead spit after him.

He was running on autopilot anyway, his only thought being to escape, go to a safe place, somewhere where Reno couldn´t get him, couldn´t do…this to him.

Almost automatically his feet carried him towards the tool shop and he still wasn´t really himself when Cid found him. It had been just so… surreal!

And then Cid had been so infuriating again, with his logic and with being so damn nosy and… and probably being right.

When his employer laid these things out to him, Yazoo always felt like a silly little boy and tried to defend his reasoning and actions, feeling even more pathetic.

He just didn´t know what to think of Cid Highwind. On the one hand he seemed a gruff, unrefined man in his 40s who didn´t give a damn about anything and just wanted to not be bothered, and then at other times it was like he actually cared about what happened to Yazoo.

He just… felt so incredibly tired.

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**This chapter was a little bit longer actually, but then I decided to split it and enhance the second part... So this will be next then :)**

**luvyuyu:** Heh, yes Cid isn´t really *nice* in a normal way... But he still was, I think. In his own way :) I´m glad you liked it, thanks for reviewing!

**jennie300303:** I feel bad for Yazoo, too *sigh* But things will certainly change. Well and Cid... He´s probably not that good with being an emotional support, but at least he´s trying^^ He may be a bit too honest...

**Valitiel:** Haha, Reno is definitely drunk! As for being evil... I don´t know. I think he has a problem with keeping himself in check, but he probably isn´t really evil... We´ll see^^

**Xyleel:** Okay, Reno´s Gründe sind jetzt nicht wirklich gerechtfertigt... Aber irgendwie plausibel? Zumindest aus seiner Perspektive, irgendwie^^ Frustration und Alkohol vertragen sich nicht besonders gut. Aber Cid ist ja da um alles wieder heile heile zu machen XD Heh, und unter der rauen Schale verbirgt sich bestimmt ein weicher Kern;)

**Koumori-chan:** I get what you mean! It´s bad for Yazoo to get beaten, but with Cid there is also the chance that he could meet someone who helps him and shows him a better life! Ah, we´ll see^^

**sareyva: **Yah, they are such a difficult pair XD And I´m glad you´re seeing a change in their attitude! Well, I think despite the both of them being stubborn and all they get closer to each other. I mean there is only so much that Cid takes and actually Yazoo trusts him ebough that he thinks that he´s safe with him, thus running to his shop... And I guess that if Yazoo would actually really understand what Reno is doing to him he wouldn´t be together with him anymore. So he´s partly at 'fault' for the situation as well.

**Thank you everyone for reading and reviewing!**

**Review please?  
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	8. Chapter 8

**A big 'Thank you' to PfenixB for the wonderful betaing!**

**Enjoy!**

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8

"Ya finally awake?"

A white cup blocked his empty stare as it was placed in front of him on the coffee table and finally pulled Yazoo out of his reverie.

Looking up he saw Cid in his boxers and a loose blue shirt standing next to the sofa with his own cup of steaming coffee in hand. Just how had he been able to block out the man buzzing around in the kitchen till now?

"Hn." Carefully Yazoo used his right arm to pull himself up and into a sitting position that didn´t hurt too much. When he had arranged himself on the sofa he pulled the blanket over his shoulders again despite the pain it caused his abused skin. But he was half naked and rather dealt with some pain than feeling even more vulnerable.

He reached out for his cup, murmuring a "thanks" and guided it to his lips, sipping at the hot liquid. His brows instantly furrowed in disgust though, because if anything, Cid made the worst coffee possibly. The mechanic observed his guests scandalized face and took a big sip from his own cup. To him Yazoo looked a little more like himself than the night before, but still seemed very fragile and lost, sitting there on the couch, hunched under the blanket.

Cid strolled over, flopping into an armchair across the sofa and asking "Ya feelin betta now?"

Yazoo nodded, clinging to the warm cup, silver hair hanging into his tired face.

"So waddcha gonna do now?" the blond asked, pulling out a cigarette and lightening it.

Yazoo remained silent for a moment, then shook his head and answered "I don´t know."

Cid looked up in surprise, then he smirked, exhaling "Dat´s good ta hear."

Yazoo´s fine brows furrowed as he asked a little cooly, wondering if Cid was mocking him "How could this possibly be a good thing?"

"Stop bitchin´will ya?! It´s a good thing, cos ya ain´t thinkin´of goin back foa anotha round."

Yazoo blinked at the man, but then looked to the side, saying "I never said I wouldn´t go back."

"Yeah, but it ain´t da first thing comin´ta mind anymore," Cid pointed out, taking another drag while lazily lounging in his chair.

Yazoo remained silent, so the mechanic just took another sip from his cup and stood, pointing with the cigarette into the direction of a scratched door "Ya can take a shower if ya want," and then grumpily vanished back into the kitchen.

The teen eyed the door for a moment, then he slowly and carefully got up from the couch, trying to move his sore muscles as little as possible. Limping over to the bathroom, he closed the door behind him and leaned heavily against it, trying to ignore the stinging pain in his back.

He let his exhausted gaze wander through the small room that was just as cramped and chaotic as the rest of Cid´s premises. It wasn´t dirty, just untidy. Empty shampoo bottles and towels were piled on the floor and Yazoo carefully made his way around them, peeling out of his sheet and clothes and sitting down in the cold tub.

The warm water rushing from the shower at first made him flinch, as it rushed over his abused skin, but soon enough it relaxed his tensed muscles. It felt kind of relieving, to wash away all the dirt and blood, although it couldn´t sweep away the mental stains. He may be somewhat clean on the outside now, but that still didn´t do anything against the fact that he was disgusting and deviant. A slut, like Reno had called him…

True, since he was with Reno he hadn´t had other partners, and he hadn´t physically betrayed him, but mentally… Yazoo couldn´t help it but sometimes enjoy the looks and compliments he received and to tell the truth he sometimes even encouraged or provoked them. It gave him a feeling of power. And that although he had Reno. Really, he was the worst trash, and maybe his boyfriend was right to call him these names, and maybe he deserved the beating.

Shivering, and feeling just as miserable and guilty as before Yazoo shut the water down, sitting in the tub for another minute and apathetically watching the waterdrops falling from his wet tresses. Then he abruptly stood up, grabbed for a fresh towel and almost violently rubbed his body dry. After he had dressed again, he went back into the living room, only to find it vacant.

There was a plate with two burned toasts and a blob of marmalade sitting at his place, but the silver haired teen ignored it, not feeling hungry at all. Instead he grabbed for his shirt, put it on and then searched the small apartment for his employer.

A muffled curse led him towards a door that was only leaned on. Since his polite knocking showed no effect, Yazoo stepped into the door.

Cid was bent over a desk that was stuffed with stacks of various papers and files that looked ready to just crumble to the floor. The mechanic, frustrated, pushed out his cigarette and through the thick clouds of smoke Yazoo could see that he was fighting a hard battle with his paper work, tearing at his hair and looking completely overwhelmed.

Eventually he came to notice his apprentice´s presence though, and looked up from his paperwork with a questioning look. Feeling a strangely tight knot in his guts, Yazoo announced quietly, hand resting against the doorframe and expression as neutral as ever : "I am going."

Cid scratched his chin, frowning and asking "Where ya going?"

The silver haired teen was a little compelled to lift an eyebrow but instead let his gaze wander over the amounts of paper that piled up on the small desk, not feeling like looking into those inquiering, piercing blue eyes. "Home."

The mechanic looked a little confused for a moment, until understanding dawned on his face and then switched to a look of disappointment. Yazoo forced the unpleasant feeling away, keeping his face calm and straight and opening his mouth to thank the man for what he´d done. He didn´t come to do it though, because suddenly Cid leaned back in his seat, one foot resting on the other knee and giving his apprentice a grave, but strangely cold look. "Ah, Sorry ta hear dat pal, but I ain´t thinkin ya goin´ anywhere."

Now he did arch an eyebrow, demeanour becoming dismissive again. He didn´t know what it was with Cid Highwind but the man seemed to seriously try to piss him off at any opportunity he could grab.

"And why is that?" he asked though, eyeing the man with unhidden discontent. He really didn´t feel like having an argument with the mechanic, he had enough problems as it was.

"Cos I say so," Cid announced, lighting another cig and blowing the smoke through his nose, giving the youth a calm look, head tilted slightly and chin lifted. It seemed very confident, just as if Cid expected nothing else but that Yazoo would simply obey.

The silver haired youth gave the man another unreadable, almost unnerved gander before he turned, intending to just leave the apartment.

"Wouldn´t do dat if I was ya," came the voice from the blond from behind, sounding a little threatening under the friendly, calmer tone.

Tilting his head, Yazoo stopped, throwing a glance back over his shoulder, only to see Cid holding a little plastic card between his index and middle finger, casually taking another drag.

"At least nat if ya eva want that back," the man added, putting the cig back to the corner of his mouth. After he had made sure that Yazoo was aware of his options he let the ID vanish back in his pocket and with a pained sigh leaned back over his papers.

Yazoo stood frozen to the spot, eyes not waning from the man who now totally ignored his presence and wishing him to the deepest pits of hell.

Feeling the frosty gaze piercing his head the mechanic eventually looked up again, stubbing his cig out in the ashtray.

"Whaddcha stayin there starin´inta space, eh? If ya hav nuthin ta do come 'ere an´help me."

Totally oblivious to the youth´s less than cooperative mood Cid bend over his desk, reaching for some papers and shoving them into Yazoo´s arms, with his thumb imperiously motioning to a small desk behind him.

The silver haired young man looked down on the files in his arms, then at the table and lastly his green orbs shifted back to Cid who was back to swearing and searching through the mess on his desk.

Then, slowly, Yazoo strode over to the table, sat down and started to look at the bills and documents, not knowing what else he should do.

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**Valitiel:** Haha, no, that certainly can´t be good for the relationship, but if Yazoo is a clever boy he might not think about marrying Reno too soon :D Thanks for reviewing!

**Koumori-chan:** Thank you, I´m glad I did not 'disappoint' XD Yeah, there was a lot of angsting. But given the circumstances it was plausible, I hope. I put my faith into Cid as well: may he be the knight in shining armor to save the princess! As always I am very glad you liked it and thank you for the feedback!

**Review please?**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hiya!**

**Another chapter, thanks to PfenixB for the awesome betaing and enjoy please!**

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9

"Do you have the annual tax declaration from five years ago?"

The calm question sent new shivers down Cid´s spine, as he scratched his head, blowing smoke through his mouth and frowning.

"I ain´t even sure if I have the one from last year let alone if I wrote one…"

The concentrated look of his apprentice shifted from the papers up to his employer, now somewhat scolding and strict. "Well then search for it, please." He said umercifully, making the mechanic cringe.

Sighing, he waved a hand, murmuring a "yeah, yeah" and turned around to search the stack of papers that had shrunken considerably throughout the last 4 hours.

Frowning, Cid flicked through some files, eventually finding what they needed under a book about engines. The file had some coffee rings on it and the blond unsuccessfully tried to half-heartedly wipe them away with his sleeve before handing them over to Yazoo.

The youth didn´t do so much as look up, just took the file, giving a distracted "Thank you" and continuing to scribble numbers on a paper. He was typing on the calculator Cid had managed to find somewhere in the depths of his desk, and arranging papers.

"Ya really seein´ this through, ain´t ya?" the mechanic asked in a mixture of being slightly impressed and sceptic. Paperwork was like double Dutch to him and it was hard for him to believe that someone could actually make sense of it.

"Well, I´m trying," was the distracted reply from below, as Yazoo gave the file a look, but didn´t say anything anymore. If he was to give his comments to every ragged, disordered, coffee-spilled file Cid handed him, he´d sit here for another year.

Seeing that Yazoo was totally busy with the documents and figuring out what they meant, Cid felt a little superfluous, something he wasn´t very used too.

After he´d stood there for another moment, looking over Yazoo´s shoulder but only getting a headache from all the numbers he cleared his throat, announcing "´m off ta make sum coffee."

A barely audible "Hn," was all he got, and with a hint of a smirk the mechanic left the office with long strides, grabbing for his cigarettes lying on his desk on the way out.

Yazoo meanwhile gathered his long hair and pulled it up in a ponytail, all the while mentally being occupied by Cid´s liquidations, order forms, and bills. It wasn´t that difficult actually, just a matter of addition and subtraction, but finding, arranging and looking over all the things was taking a lot more time than should have been necessary if only Cid would have taken more care of it.

Also there were some irregularities, rather unnecessary expenses that could have been avoided if Cid would keep track of what he´d bought. All in all this was extremely inefficient, confusing and annoying.

Striding a loose strand out of his eyes Yazoo opened another file and flicked through it, when something caught his eye. Stopping to scribble numbers on his paper he took the edge of a coloured paper that looked out from between the pages.

It was a photo, a bit wrinkled, but the colours were still brilliant. It depicted a park or something, one couldn´t really tell, because the majority of the photo was taken by two people. One of them was a blond man who was grinning into the camera, showing his white teeth and eyes sparkling somewhat mischievously. His short hair was held back by big goggles that reminded Yazoo briefly of those Reno always wore to hold his red mane in place.

The man´s arm was drawn around a nice looking woman, who smiled softy into the camera and generally gave an impression of kindness and gentleness. In the other hand the man held a spear and only then Yazoo noticed with a slight shock that the man on the picture was none other than his employer Cid Highwind. But instead of the grumpy, tired looking man Yazoo knew this one looked genuinely happy, satisfied and almost impish, just like –

"Ya haven´t eaten ya breakfast," Cid interrupted his train of thought, sounding somewhat accusing. Yazoo looked up from the photo, seeing the mechanic coming into the room, and avoiding some stacks, with a tablet in hand. On it were two cups with steaming, black coffee that made the youth inwardly flinch and a bitter taste filled his mouth at only the thought of drinking this obnoxiousness.

The plate with sandwiches looked rather tempting, though, making the emptiness in his stomach become painfully apparent suddenly.

Meanwhile the mechanic pushed away some of the papers, much to Yazoo´s distress, because he had just arranged them, and put the tray there instead.

"Ya have ta eat, ya hear me?" Cid rumbled on. "Ain´t doin ya good ta be dat skinny an´ believe me no one in his right mind ain´t want these zombie models, so ya ain´t have ta emulate ´em." He put the plate on the table, pushing it towards the teen with a strict, inviting look.

Yazoo was just about to tell the man that he wasn´t trying to 'emulate' anyone and rejecting the implication that he was having an eating disorder, but stopped, giving the man a strange look. Just like Reno, always nagging that he should eat more…

"What?" Cid had raised an eyebrow, grabbing for a sandwich and taking a hearty bite.

Shaking his head, Yazoo just took a sandwich of his own and started eating.

Snorting, the mechanic took a sip from his horrible coffee to wash down his food, glancing at the paper Yazoo was still absent-mindedly holding and asking "What ya havin there?"

The youth looked down at the photo in his hand and then held it out to Cid, explaining "I found it between the files."

Cid took another bite, wiping his hand at his sleeve and reaching over to take the offered picture. Upon seeing it he stopped chewing though, face becoming strangely blank. He laid his food aside, holding the photo with both hands and staring at it.

"Oh," he just said, continuing to watch the photo as if he´d seen a ghost.

Since he didn´t say anything else, Yazoo asked, carefully observing the man´s face. "Who is this with you?"

The mechanic kept looking at the picture and the youth almost thought that he wouldn´t get an answer when Cid slowly started chewing again, saying with a throaty voice. "Ma wife."

At that Yazoo inclined his head, pointing out "I didn´t know you were married."

His gaze flickered towards Cid´s left hand, and surely there was no ring. "Where is she?" he inquired, taking another bite and watching as the blond rose to his feet again, facing him with his broad back as he slowly walked over to his desk.

The sound of paper rustling could be heard when he put it away or something - Yazoo couldn´t tell because the view was blocked- but then Cid informed him, sounding somewhat final "She´s dead."

Dropping his sandwich, the silver haired youth kept observing Cid´s back, offering quietly "I´m sorry."

The man stood there for another moment, then he suddenly just shrugged and came back to the table, sitting down again.

"Ain´t ya fault."

The strangely intimate moment was gone, Cid taking out another cigarette and lightening it. He had a dismissive and rejecting aura around him now, that clearly said that he didn´t want to talk about it anymore and that this was a private matter, though he wasn´t hostile or anything. Just distanced. Under this composure Yazoo thought he could detect a slightly defeated melancholy, but he didn´t say anything. It wasn´t his business anyway.

"I´d say ya finish eatin´ and then we get over with this crap. Ya sleepin´on the couch tonight, sorry but there ain´t no other option." Cid declared, brushing the ash against the tray, his sandwich laying on the plate forgotten.

Yazoo´s expression was less than enthusiastic, but Cid just ignored it, nodding at the plate and telling Yazoo to finish it, so that they could continue.

*

"Mornin´" came the slightly crouchy and grumpy greeting from the kitchen when Yazoo rose from the couch, a little dazedly remembering where he was. He had a hell of a night after him, which was mainly because he wasn´t used to sleeping alone and partly because his brain was still putting numbers together.

"Hn," the youth answered, absent-mindedly staring in his lap, fine hair hanging in his face as he slowly tried to wake up.

"Here." A cup of coffee was put before him, as well as a plate with bacon and eggs, along with the convicted comment "Ya must eat."

That again, held just the tiniest hint of accusation.

Too tired to point out that he was _alright_, Yazoo just grabbed the plate and unmotivatedly pushed the food around with his fork. Cid had proven to be rather stubborn and seemed to have taken it upon him to feed Yazoo, despite the youth telling repeatedly that he was neither bulimic nor anorexic. But all Cid had done was giving a disbelieving "Yeah, sure" in an infuriating pitying tone, and just as if he was talking to a petulant child who had just told him that a fairy had flown into his room to have a dance party with the dwarfs living under his bed.

"The bath´s free, ya can go. An hurry, ya goin home."

Yazoo stopped picking at his food, looking up at his employer. It couldn´t be that easy, could it?

"We getting´ sum things fer ya, can´t run around in da same shit for days. Starts reeking an shit, ain´t want ta scare ma friggin clients away…" Cid explained with a slightly miffed look when he noticed the hopeful gleam in Yazoo´s eyes that dulled right away after the mechanic´s statement.

Setting the plate on the table rather forcefully Yazoo abruptly stood up and marched to the bathroom, ignoring the surprised frown from his employer and the grumpy look at the untouched food.

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**Aww, they´re getting to know each other more closely... Next chapter´ll be the confrontation with Reno^^**

**luvyuy:** Hey! No problem, it wasn´t working for me either. Just glad it got fixed now^^ I´m glad you liked it! Yeah, Cid´s badass and a bit of a grumpy guy, but once he´s opened up to someone I suppose he´s a rather careing person. And he gradually let´s Yazoo into his world, so the chances aren´t that bad :)

**Valitiel:** Haha, he has! He´s lucky Yazoo´s not in a labour union, could get ugly for him XD But he´s just doing what he thinks is best for Yazoo. Hopefully it´ll work out. Thank you for reviewing, I´m happy you like it!

**Koumori-chan:** Hm, Yazoo is a bit reluctant to get rescued... But Cid´s a persistant knight, he'll fight the 'evil' force^^ Haha, and a LOT more swearing than the average night XD Also he´d probably come in a smoking, old truck instead on a white, elegant horse... I was wondering about that as well... Reno the dragon. Probably not, but we´ll see :) Thank you hun *hugs back* I´m glad you like it and thank you for the feedback!

**Xyleel:** Ja, ich hab mich da in eine ziemlich komplizierte Sache reinmanövriert... Aber zumindest weiß ich so ziemlich, wie sich das Problem lösen wird. Mal sehen, für wen es ein happy end wird. Reno ist aber auch wirklich nicht einfach in dieser Story... Freut mich dass es dir trotzdem soweit gefällt, und danke für´s Kommentar!

**sareyva:** I guess you are right. Yazoo is slowly growing used to the treatment since it´s worsening gradually. If Reno would have beaten him bkoody right at the beginning he´d probably broken up with him, but so... yes, Reno´s a typical abuser, which is because I personally have no experiences with physical abuse and more or less stick to the text books. Haha, you really are? Cool, I think Cid´s place is kind of neat^^ Thank you for commenting, and I´m glad you like it!

**Review please?**


	10. Chapter 10

**Welcome to a belated 10th chapter (well, not really belated... though I try to update weakly, it´s not a given ;-) ). So I hope you enjoy the drama and angsting and tragedy and leave me a review, because this is what keeps me going^^**

**Thank you very much PfenixB for doing such a great job with the betaing again, I wouldn´t know what to do without you! (certainly being a nervous wreck...)**

**Enjoy!**

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10

"That´s where ya livin´?" Cid mumbled, looking up to the house with a frown and killing the engine of his rickety jeep.

"Yes. Anything wrong with that?" was the cranky reply from beside him where Yazoo sat, staring straight through the front window like he had the entire time, arms crossed over his chest and head titled.

"Ya noo, it´s…" the mechanic let his gaze wander over the piles of rubbish lying on the streets, the graffiti on the crumbled, shabby houses, the dirty 'park' on the other side that was occupied by junkies and some young people that looked somewhat dangerous with their bats and tattoos and the openly worn firearms.

The street was filled with noises from a pair screaming at each other and suddenly something crashed right on the pavement.

A few meters ahead an old woman with a babushka and a ragged dress came towards them, pushing an old buggy before her and mumbling something under her breath until she suddenly started to shout obscenities at the buggy and trashed with her old fists against it in a fit of rage. As sudden as the choleric attack had come it was over, the old hag pushing the buggy again and passing their car, mumbling incomprehensible things again.

"…nice," Cid finished his sentence, cig dangling from his open mouth as his eyes warily followed the old woman. He wouldn´t want her to attack his precious car, though maybe he should have been more concerned about the drug dealer and gang members eyeing them from the park.

Clearing his throat, Cid took the car key and opened the door, stepping on the dirty pavement. His district wasn´t top notch either, but this was just… Before Cid could think of an adequate equivalent Yazoo had already passed him, involuntarily leading the way up the stairs to his apartment. When they stepped into the house Cid´s nostrils were greeted with the overwhelming stink of piss and other… body fluids.

Slightly unnerved he followed Yazoo through the dark, swearing when he stumbled over something lying on the way. They choose the not very safe looking stairs in favor of the even less safe looking elevator, for which the mechanic was very thankful, he thought. His opinion changed though, when half way up something grabbed his pants and a throaty voice from below asked if he hadn´t a little money, or drugs would be cool too.

Cid regretted that he hadn´t taken his spear with him, seriously. He´d thought the huge letters on his car, spelling the well known and feared name 'Cid Highwind', would have been enough to spare him any trouble, but oh well. When it came down to it he could still use his very useful fists.

They went down a corridor; the screaming became louder. Cockroaches and other insects were fleeing from them, leaving a small path on the spotty panels.

Eventually Yazoo stopped before a door at the end of the floor.

Cid stood right beside him, arms stemmed at his waist and waiting for the boy to knock or open the door with his key. The youth just stood there for another moment, long hair hiding his expression before a light jerk seemed to go through his body and his knuckles collided with the wood.

Almost instantly the door was widely thrown open and into view came a dishevelled looking redhead with huge bags under his eyes. He stared at the two of them with his mouth open for a second and then he made some strangled sound. Letting go of the door he threw his arms around Yazoo´s lithe body with such force that the youth made a startled step back and Cid almost thought he would attack him.

Seeing the shivering redhead clinging to his boyfriend, the mechanic let his fist sink down, albeit he didn´t let his cool gaze from the guy. If Yazoo so much as yelped Reno would be jelly.

"Oh fuck baby, where have you been?! You have any idea how worried I was?!"

The silver haired young man winced a little at the embrace that made his wounds sting again and tried to gently free himself, throwing Cid a quick look. The man was leaning against the wall with his arms folded over his chest, looking repellent and cool.

"I´m sorry," he said quietly, successfully grabbing Reno´s hands and hindering him from clinging to his abused body. "Let´s go inside to discuss matters there, shall we?"

Reno gave a curt nod, dragging Yazoo after him in the apartment, still somewhat agitated. Cid pushed himself from the wall, following.

He rose an eyebrow at the poor room that served as kitchen and living room, but then he remembered how it had been when he had been younger. Material things hadn´t been that important, all that mattered had been being together and being free…

Finally Reno came to notice the mechanic's presence as well, as he turned towards the man, holding out his hand and saying with genuine gratefulness "Thanks so much for taking care of him and bringing him back. You know how the street is, God knows what coulda happened."

Cid eyed the outstretched hand like it was some slimy insect, frostily letting his hands tug under his armpit.

Reno looked a little confused, but then Yazoo stepped in, begging for his attention by drawing him towards the bedroom. "We need to talk."

The mechanic eyed them suspiciously, but remained where he stood since Yazoo had gotten the silent threat that was radiating from the man and chose to stay in his field of sight. Therefore Cid could observe the two of them sitting down on the bed, although he could not hear them.

"What´s wrong baby?" Reno asked with a frown, but also slight anticipation, searching Yazoo´s calm face. Then his own expression became a mixture of resigned, shocked and guilty, as he asked lowly "I didn´t do it again, did I?"

"Yes," Yazoo admitted quietly as Reno suddenly stood from the bed, pacing the room in agitation, one hand rubbing over his mouth.

"Fuck baby I´m so sorry, I really really am! You know I didn´t want to drink, but then the boys just got pushy and we wanted to celebrate the engagement and- fuck I´m so sorry."

He stopped, kneeling down before Yazoo, taking his slender hands and pressing them against his lips, looking up at him in dismay.

"I know that," the youth said softly, with just the slightest trace of resignation in his voice. Just how often did they have this dialogue now?

"Did I… did I do something?" He squeezed Yazoo´s hand in an almost frightened manner. Apparently he had forgotten about the night, which seemed to happen quite often. After the bashing, Reno claimed to not remember anything and Yazoo hadn´t ever questioned that. Maybe because he wanted it to be that way. It was easier to separate the loving, funny Reno from the man that liked to whip him with his belt and…

"Yes," Yazoo answered, thinking if he should tell him what exactly he had done. The little term 'something' was their codeword for 'something that might have to be treated with medical care'. It was funny through what lengths they went just to avoid _saying _it out loud, pinning it down with words, making it apparent between them. But they never did. They just silently treated the wounds, Reno said that he was sorry (although he never said what _exactly_ he felt sorry for), Yazoo forgave him, life went on.

Reno sighed, shook his head in a sad manner and then stood up to go and get their first aid kit.

Yazoo just watched him, face bare of any emotion, hands folded in his lap.

"You tried to rape me."

The quiet words echoed through the room, sounding heavy and breathy and very strange to Yazoo´s ears, until he noticed that it was him who had said them. He instantly clicked his mouth shut.

Reno was frozen to the spot, his fiery red ponytail falling over the wrinkled black suit that was his trademark.

Then he turned around with wide eyes, mouth hanging open and looking utterly crestfallen and bewildered.

Instantly Yazoo regretted having said anything and went over to him, hugging him to his chest. Reno laid his head against his lover, clung to him again, his whole body shivering as he breathed again "I´m so sorry."

"I know," was all Yazoo said, the words coming out almost automatically, as he stroked over his friend's head in a calming manner.

"I promise I won´t ever touch any alcohol ever again, ya hear me? I swear with my life!"

"I believe you," the other youth replied, not even thinking about if he was lying or not. This was never the question anyway. It never mattered if Reno would actually stay true to his word or not. All that mattered was the _hope_ that he would do so.

Yazoo´s gaze accidently shifted over to Cid, who morosely watched their affections and with a brief movement of his head made clear that it was time to leave now and that he wouldn´t back away from his demand that Yazoo stay with him.

The silver haired youth licked his lips, then looking down at his boyfriend and saying carefully "Reno, I have to go now…"

The redhead looked up, confusion evident on his face "What? Don´t bother princess, ya ain´t have ta do anything, just relax and get some rest, I´ll take care of everything."

Yazoo shot another look at Cid, who impatiently shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

"Well," he then said to Reno who had let go of him, "I thought that maybe we should have some time to ourselves, to think about things, you know… Mister Highwind was so kind as to offer me to stay with him for a while, so you can have the apartment to yourself." He couldn´t possibly tell him that he was more or less blackmailed to leave, because then he would also have to admit his attempt at robbing Cid´s shop.

"What?" Reno stared at him with disbelieving eyes, lifting his chin a little. Then he gave an exasperated laugh, shaking his head "C´mon Yazoo, I told you that I´m sorry, yo? I really really am."

Yazoo bit his lip, glancing at his damned employer again. Just why did he have to make everything more complicated?

"I know, but we really should-"

"You can´t leave me," the redhead suddenly interrupted and his hand shot out to wrap itself around Yazoo´s wrist in a painful grip. His voice was heavy with fear, imperiousness and despair, all mixing together.

"Reno…" the youth hissed, eyes cast down on the iron grip that held him in place and painfully crushed his fragile wrist.

"You can´t leave me," was the reply, sounding calmer and more confident this time, almost like an adjuratory formula and the squeeze became even harder.

"You´re hurting me." Yazoo winced, trying to free his arm from the painful crush but it wasn´t necessary, because within the next moment Reno found himself pushed against the wall, an arm at his throat pushing his chin up and two piercing blue, very pissed eyes nailing him to the spot.

"Get ya friggin paws off of him, ya hear me pal?" the man growled lowly into the boy´s ear who just gulped, searching for help and an explanation from his boyfriend. Yazoo just blinked at them, too surprised to understand what was going on. He was pulled out of his trance, though, when Cid snapped at him "Get ya things, now!"

The youth blinked again, then turned with a fluid motion and got a plastic back that lay around and went over to some boxes where he gathered a few clothes. He hastily stuffed them into the bag.

When Cid saw that he was finished he let go of Reno who fell to the floor and started coughing because the arm pressing against his windpipe hadn´t left much room to breathe.

With quick strides and a tight expression, Yazoo went out of the room, not looking at Reno anymore and Cid followed, moving backwards until he slammed the door behind him.

Quickly he moved down the stairs to catch up with Yazoo, but the boy was already sitting in his seat, bag in his lap and staring straight out the front window again.

Cid sat down as well, closing the door and starting the engine.

"That was absolutely unnecessary," Yazoo informed him curtly, but the mechanic just sighed and went back on the street to drive them home.

*tbc

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** Gnarrharrharr, Cid´s getting all protective and Yazoo´s still "I dun wanna face reality... not really." Reno´s like "WTF?!". But it´ll get even better in the next chapter^^**

**(Sorry, I´m on a sugar high, just ignore me...)**

**So, on to the reviews of the reviews, my favorite part, yay!**

**Valitiel:** Ah, no I am sorry for having mislead you! They are indeed going back to Yazoo´s and Reno´s apartment, as you could see, but only to get some things. Cid´s not going to let Yazoo live there now, he´s kinda adopted him^^ Cid´s actually really living in this apartment above his shop and his garage, it´s very practical for him. I could imagine that he lived in a house with Shera begfore, but the memories of her were probably too painful for him to live there after her death so he went to another home :)

l**uvyuyu:** Haha, yes, they all have a history. We´ll get to know a little more about it, but since the main focus is on the relationships I won´t indulge too deep into the matter. There might be some traumata left, to add to the drama^^

**Koumori-chan:** They are a couple, alright XD Difficult and stubborn, but it´s getting better, slowly. I hope it´s not too slow, beacuase I usually like to take my time and make it plausible and they started off not exactly as friends, so it´s unrealistic to make them lovers too soon, I think? Hehe, Cid has a dramatic background of course, it wouldn´t be fun otherwise^^ And you´ll learn about it soon, I promise! Haha, and the force feed comment made me LMAO! I imagined Yazoo tied to a chair, lower lip stuck out and Cid trying to stuff him with baby food XD

**kiki-slasha:** Oh hello, a new reviewer^^ Thank you for the great feedback, I am glad you enjoy it! I admit, the written dialect is not only hard to read, but to write as well... I am not a native speaker, so I have to be a bit creative and my mental english-editor is crying her eyes out at times -.- I love Renzoo too, very much so, but on the other hand it is fun making Reno the 'bad guy' as well... Well, thank you for the review and I hope you´ll enjoy the next chapters as well!

**sareyva:** Haha, yes, poor Cid! I bet it took him forever to 'design' it like that and now Yazoo comes and cleanes it all up! XD I haven´t seen your place, but I see mine *side glance*... Well, it´s not that bad, but well... One can always do more cleaning -.- Btw, I have similar experiences like you made, on a regular basis XD I just put things away, preferably somewhere deep and far away because I´m too lazy to throw them away. And seriously, who can say if one day you may not need it again?! We are doing the right thing, I tell you!

**Thanks everyone for reviewing and reading, and I´d be delighted if you´d leave me a little feedback :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Ah, it´s already chapter 11 again... This wasn´t supposed to become that long actually, but there´s certainly more to come^^**

**Thanks to PfenixB for the wonderful betaing and to everyone for reading and reviewing!**

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11

"Ya okay?" Cid asked dubiously from the kitchen, where he made some of his awful coffee. His gaze was fixated on Yazoo though, the taciturn, withdrawn attitude of the boy bothering him a bit.

He didn´t get an answer, and with a grumpy look, he brought the cup and a plate with roasted potatoes to the living room, placing both before his apprentice.

Yazoo was stiffly sitting on the sofa, plastic bag still unpacked lying beside him.

Cid sat down in the worn chair opposite him, taking a sip from his own cup, and after a meaningful look at the plate, ordered "Eat."

The young man however, remained still, making no attempt to do what he was told. Instead he narrowed his eyes at his employer, saying flatly "Why can´t you just leave me alone."

Cid frowned at that, but he felt that this wasn´t just about the food. Despite his blank, indifferent expression and the uncaring attitude he tried to give off, the mechanic could feel the rejection screaming from Yazoo´s behaviour, the anger and maybe even some uncertainty.

So instead of giving a snappy reply, like he was first inclined to, the blond sighed, setting his cup on the table and after a minute of thinking answered in a calm voice, "Cos you´re a good boy Yazoo. Ya might nat believe an old man, but ya actually a clever, neat fellow –bitching aside- an´strangely enough I do care if ya gettin´ hurt or nat."

He made a pause, rubbing over his chin, and then lighted another cigarette, blowing the smoke out of his nose. "Look, I understand that ya ain´t want me ta butt in ya business. But what ya doin´is dangerous. Jest… stay here for a couple o´ days, think ´bout it an´ if ya still wanna go back, I won´t hold ya back, a´right?"

There certainly was no use in holding Yazoo here against his will if he absolutely refused to stay, but Cid had to try at least, hadn´t he? The boy had come to him, after all, and if there was a slight chance to make Yazoo see that things were wrong how they went right now, he´d take it. This wasn´t any longer about 'your business – my business', he felt that he now had a certain responsibility for the boy, whether Cid liked it or not. He might be a grumpy, sometimes difficult guy, but he was no monster and right now the destructive 'relationship' these two had was nearly breaking his wrinkled, stony heart.

Yazoo looked a little taken aback, staring at the man with parted lips, mouth hanging slightly open. He certainly had expected a lot of answers, but nothing like that. And somehow he didn´t like it (well… maybe a little?), because it wasn´t done just with a snappy reply from his side…

They remained silent for a while, Cid puffing at his cig and occasionally taking a sip from his cup, when Yazoo finally closed his mouth and tilted his head.

"That´s the first nice thing you said to me." It really was the only thing that came to his mind.

The mechanic arched a brow at that, stubbing his cig into the ashtray and remarking grouchily, "Yeah? Tch, ya betta nat get used to it." He cracked a half smirk that softened his words somewhat.

It wasn´t answered, Yazoo still sitting blank faced on the couch and watching the man with slight confusion, but at least the hostility was gone and he had relaxed somewhat.

"A´right pal, eat up an´then let´s get back ta work. We´ve already lost half a day."

*

Yazoo was slouched down over the counter, looking through some paper work. He was almost done with sorting the stack-room and went over the inventory list again, when the light bell over the door rang, announcing a visitor and making him look up.

"Good afternoon. Can I help you?" he said professionally, laying the pen aside and bestowing all his attention on the client. He wasn´t all smiles and eager handshakes (he despised this Harry-the-happy-car-salesman-cliché), but he was polite and attentive, and so far he had only made good experiences with it.

The man that walked to the counter was simply impressive, in height, as well as in the rest of his appearance. His dark tan stretching over bulky muscles made him look rather intimidating, as did the scowl he was wearing. His black, curly hair was had been tamed by braids and on the right hand he wore a gigantic prostatic instead of a human arm.

He came to stand before the counter, giving Yazoo a suspicious look from above. "Who the friggin' hell are _ya_?"

The young man supressed the urge to arch an eyebrow at that, instead replying calmly, "My name is Yazoo, sir. I´m helping Mister Highwind out for a while." This man wasn´t the first one to ask him that particular question; especially amongst Cid´s regulars there seemed to be a significant surprise that the man let someone else beside himself near his precious tools.

"Oh yeah?" the man replied, still not looking very convinced, "I´m Barret Wallace, I´m a pal o´ Cid´s."

Yazoo briefly wondered why he said this in a threatening manner (being ignorant as he was, he also hadn´t heard about Wallace The Wall, a name almost even more famous than the one of Cid Highwind) and replied, friendly.

"It´s nice to meet you, Mr. Wallace. Can I help you?"

Barret narrowed his eyes at the young man, feeling that he wasn´t given the response he deserved (a little trembling and nervous fidgeting would have been appropriate), but then he just shrugged, crossing his arms and said "Yeah, ya get me a triple square screwdriver and a pack o´ screws."

Yazoo nodded, asking the customer to please wait a moment and went to one of the shelves behind the counter to get the requested items.

Barret eyed him out of the corner of his eye with a huff, but the boy was quick, and soon returned back with everything he had wanted.

The big man took the offered items in hand, giving them a skeptic look but not finding anything to his dislike. So he huffed again, putting them in his pocket and was about to leave.

Surprised, Yazoo hurried to call out to him. "Excuse me sir, but you may have forgotten something."

He gave the man a meaningful smile, not wanting to embarrass him by pointing it so bluntly out to him. He didn´t know what Cid´s politics with his clients were, but he´d rather be polite.

"Yeah?" Barret turned his head around, throwing Yazoo a look over his shoulder. "An what might that be?!"

"Well," the silver haired youth said, tilting his head a bit, but still remaining friendly "you might want to pay for this"

"Tch," the man made, looking annoyed, but then just waved a hand in dismissal "jest put it on ma tab."

At that Yazoo furrowed his brows, leaning a little forward on the counter, and replying "I am sorry, I don´t know anything about a tab… I am afraid I must insist that you pay it now."

"What the hell?!" Barret growled, turning around fully and marching back to the counter. "Look, kiddo, I dunno who ya are an I dun give a shit, bud I´ve been a pal o´ Cid´s long before ya were even more dan a sperm in ya old man´s wrinkled sacks so don't ya tell me ta pay again!"

"Listen, I don´t know anything about a tab, so why don´t you just pay up pleas-" Yazoo didn´t come any further in his tightly spoken request, since suddenly the man grabbed him by his collar and roughly pulled him closer over the counter, right into his furious, scowling face.

"Na, _you_ listen, asshole! I´m a busy man an' I dun have time ta deal with ya shit so get ya skinny ass off ma back an-"

"Oy, whatcha doin´with ma assistant?!" Cid just came out of the garage to find Yazoo in the iron grip of one of his buddies, and that of one pissed Barret Wallace at that.

Quickly walking over to them, he shot his friend a stern look, and grudgingly the man let go off poor Yazoo, pushing him back.

Stumbling a little, the youth coughed, letting his employer steady him with a firm grip to the arm. "Ya alright?"

Yazoo just nodded, and Cid sighed, reaching for the cig behind his ear and then, miffed, turning his attention towards Barret who had folded his arms again, in a somewhat defensive manner this time though.

"What´s goin´on ´ere?" the mechanic demanded to know, swaying out the match and throwing it into the bucket behind the counter where all their trash went.

"Dat fella wouldn't put ma things on ma tab," Barret declared almost sullenly, throwing the pale youth an accusing look. "Said he didn´t know who I was," he added in an incredulous manner.

Cid threw a look back at Yazoo who was still softly coughing, and then sighed, rolling his eyes "Ya, he probably really didn´know ya… Anyway, it´s nat his fault, hadn´t time ta tell 'im ´bout the tab thing yet."

"Hrmph," came from the bulky man, but he didn´t look very appeased.

"Look, Wallace, why dun ya jest take it an' we forget about it?" the mechanic offered, leaning with his hands against the counter and giving the man an expectant look.

"Ya.. a´right, fine," Barret finally grumbled, unfolding his arms and then pushing the knuckles of his left fist against the ones offered from Cid, in a friendly gesture of brotherhood.

"An ya betta remember me next time," the dark man growled warningly into Yazoo´s direction before he finally marched out of the shop, slamming the door shut behind him.

"What was _that_?" the silver haired youth managed between two coughs, still clinging to his throat.

Cid threw him an awkward look, taking the cig out of his mouth with two fingers. "Ya really don´t know him do you?" Seeing the young man narrowing his eyes in slight annoyance, because no, he _didn´t_, the mechanic just shook his head, mumbling "Nevermind."

Then he explained in a bored tone "That´s Barret Wallace, the owner of a gas station and a weapon shop, not far from 'ere. He´s one of the regulars an' his purchases go directly on tab, ya hear me?"

"Hn," Yazoo affirmed, slightly moody, but then felt the need to ask (he wanted to be prepared for future encounters with Barret, when his life was at stake here), "So where are they?"

"Where are what?" Cid asked back, dumfounded.

"The tabs," the youth retorted, again resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

"The… tabs," the blond frowned, thinking, and then suddenly scratching his chin, a concentrated look on his face that bordered on despair.

Narrowing his eyes, Yazoo assessed the situation with curt, flat words of utter disbelieve.

"You have forgotten, haven´t you?"

Cid frowned even harder, looking almost guilty, but then he threw his hands in the air, dismissing it with a "Ah, what the hell! He´s a friend of mine, jest make a new one. I´m back in the garage."

And with that he fled into the safe haven, leaving the rest to his clearly not happy apprentice.

TBC

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**jennie300303:** Ahaha, I am glad you did so! And I feel so very flattered, because I know this dilemma from own experiences. Still it is not to say that Reno cannot change, but it will not be easy... As you said, things need time to develop sometimes, but I will see that I won´t drag it on for too long ;)

**Valitiel:** Oh we´ll see soon how Reno´ll react. Of course he doesn´t give up that easily, after all he isn´t a total asshole! He just has some issues, but that doesn´t mean he doesn´t care for Yazoo. In his own little deranged way.

**sareyva:** Haha, I guess the neighborhood was very cliché, because I really only know this from the movies... And Cid IS sweet! Even though he doesn´t want to hear it ;) But he does care, and he´ll get thrown into the trouble even deeper^^ Cos you´re right: Reno just won´t take it!

**Koumori-chan:** I´m glad you like Cid! I must say in the beginning it was a bit hard to get a grip on his personality and I´m still not sure if I got him right, but I´m happy to hear that you like him. Well Yazoo... He needs to start seriously working on his issues^^

**kiki-slasha:** Haha, oh yes, he gets protective-he has no choice but to do so^^ And there´ll be physical contact in the next chapter, much of it *cough* Thanks for reading :)

**Xyleel:** Doch na klar gibt´s noch Reno hier!!! Als ob der so einfach aufgeben würde, nur weil Cid in sein Apartment gestiefelt kommt und ein bissl böse rumstiert ;) Der wird schon einiges dransetzten Yazoo zu 'überzeugen' zurückzukommen. Er hat da ein paar schlagende Argumente... *hüstel* Tja, ehrlich gesagt, weiß ich selber noch nicht so richtig, mit wem Yazoo letztendlich zusammenkommt. Das ist das Problem bei Dreiecksbeziehungen. Ich hoffe aber, es fällt mir noch ein. Oder ich lasse hier einfach abstimmen^^

**Thanks everyone for reviewing and reading and faving and... for whatever support you gave me :)**

**Review please?**


	12. Chapter 12

**New chapter, a little later this time. Thanks to PfenixB for the awesome betaing again, you so rock, really!**

**Enjoy!**

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12**  
**

"I finished here," Yazoo quietly announced when Cid came out of his garage by the end of the day. It was just after six and the sun was still brightly shining into the dusty shop, engulfing the shelves and chrome tools with a warm light.

"Ya locked the front door?" Cid asked, throwing a quick glance at the cash box, out of habit. Yazoo nodded, laying the keys on the counter.

"Great," the mechanic retorted, grabbing the bundle and stuffing it into his pocket. He flicked his cig into the bucket and then said over his shoulder, "Ya comin´ with me."

Yazoo tilted his head, but then did as he was told, thinking that they would go up to the apartment now to have dinner and then to maybe go over some papers that were still unattended.

Instead, though, the blond led him to the small backyard behind the garage. Yazoo had never been there before and inspected the cramped court with slightly curious eyes. It was grey and stony and stuffed with several machine parts that Cid put aside now. The house was too high for the sunlight could have reached down to the ground, but the shadowed place was pleasantly cool.

"Ya goin´ ta learn sum close combat skills," Cid informed his apprentice while pushing away something that looked like the rusty skeleton of an old bike and throwing Yazoo a sidelong glance. A new cig was already dangling from his lips, polluting the fresh evening air.

The young man narrowed his eyes at that, suspicious and reluctant. Cid just couldn´t leave it alone, could he?! "And why would I need to learn that?" he asked, chin lifted.

"Cos," Cid retorted, wiping his oily hands on his dirty trousers and taking the cig out of his mouth, "ya workin´for me now. An´ I can´t afford the rumor ´bout a skinny, defenseless guy workin´ at ma shop makin' the rounds, ya know? Taday it was jest old Barret, but he already shook ya like a ragged cloth, and next time it probably won´t be jest dat. Ya don´t think I survived this long cos I´m such a nice guy, do ya?"

Yazoo graced him with another sceptic look, but didn´t object anymore, since somehow, Cid had managed to have a point. He just stood there, head tilted, and fathomlessly stared at his employer, saying "What am I supposed to do?"

The blond scratched his chin and then spit to the side, shrugging. "Jest come at me an´ hit me."

The youth slowly raised an eyebrow at that, but then gave a mental shrug. Maybe that could be fun; hitting Cid and his annoying loudmouth sounded rather tempting suddenly… He stepped forward with quick strides and then slapped the mechanic square across the face. The sound of his palm connecting with the man´s cheek was rather satisfying, but his fancy little moment of gloating was immediately destroyed when Cid frowned and simultaneously narrowed his eyes, declaring incredulously "The hell?! You hit like a girl, man…"**  
**

Ignoring the cold look he received in return, Cid moved his jaw and crossed his arms over his chest, ordering "Do it 'gain, an´ put some heart into it this time, will ya?!"

Seizing the man up again, Yazoo lashed out with considerably more tension and force –partly not even intended- but this time he didn´t even meet anything, since Cid avoided him with little effort.

"Oh c´mon buddy," he snorted at the morose, unnerved expression of his apprentice. "Ya don´t really expect your opponent to just calmly stand there and wait for ya ta bitch-slap him, do ya?" Cid shook his head, sighing.

"´kay, I´ll show ya. Keep lookin´ closely. I won´t repeat it, ya hear me?" He unfolded his arms, and bent them next to his side, hands balled into fists.

"Ya take a steady stance, legs a bit apart, but nat too much. Then ya make a fist, contract ya muscles an then ya jest… push forward!" The last words were accompanied by the blond striking out his fist with a quick movement. His fist was intended to stop a few inches before Yazoo´s face, but all the mechanic found was a vacant spot. He blinked in surprise, frowning, but then his gaze travelled lower and there he found the young man, crouched down into a ball, hands protectively held over his head. His eyes were wide and his breathing shallow as he stared at the ground, unmoving.

Quickly relaxing his threatening posture, Cid cleared his throat, scratching the back of his head and looking a little lost. "Uh… ya alright?"

Yazoo´s eyes shifted up to him and then he blinked, seeming to realise what he had just done. Lowering his arms, he slowly came up again. "Yes, I´m fine. Just a reflex… I´m sorry."

"´S alright," the blond said quietly, reaching his hand out and pulling Yazoo up, after the silver haired young man had hesitantly taken it.

"A´right, we´ll start with something different then. Guess it'll suffice if ya learn ta defend yaself first… " Cid decided, not pressing the matter further, since his assistants demeanor somehow told him that now wasn´t the right time to ask questions. It only convinced him further that he needed to teach the kid some guts, though. He was seriously wondering how Yazoo had managed to survive the streets 'til now.

"Okay, so jest imagine ya in da shop an´ someone comes from behind and grabs ya like this-" He was suddenly behind the youth in the blink of an eye, grabbing his shoulder and expecting some reaction.

"What would ya do? … Beside goin´ rigid like sum stick, that is." He frowned again, inwardly groaning at the total lack of defense.

"Okay, okay, ´s alright," he muttered, but more so to soothe himself than Yazoo. Sticking another, desperately needed cig between his lips, he lit it, the other hand still resting on Yazoo´s shoulder. The youth had meanwhile somewhat relaxed, looking over his shoulder and observing the blond with big eyes. Putting the lighter back in his pocket and blowing the smoke through his teeth Cid calmly instructed,

"Take ya left hand an´ grab ma shoulder. The one that´s holding ya."

Yazoo did as he was told, although hesitantly, and let his hand loosely rest on the man´s upper arm.

"Ya must grab harder, jest squeeze it as hard as ya can. Ya need ta have a stable grip on ma shirt if ya goin´ta throw me over ya shoulder."

With slight amusement, the mechanic watched the disbelieving widening eyes of Yazoo, but at least the grip became a little firmer.

"Good. Now ya move a little to the side and prostrate, but only slightly."

Yazoo did what he was told, but not looking as if he felt very convinced or comfortable in that position.

"´kay, jest move a little more to the side… right, that´s good. An´now ya grab ma arm with ya otha hand as well… yes, like that… and stick out ya hip a little, cos that´s where ya rollin' me over and then ya throw."

Cid got on his heels to demonstrate how he would fall if they were serious. The lax grip and the slender, weak body pressed against his almost made him sigh aloud, but he just swallowed it. The technique he tried to teach didn´t require much strength after all.

"The good thing with that method is that ya use the dynamics of ya attacker. Ya know, it´d be stupid ta want ta try an´ push against someone who could flick ya inta the next wall…" he explained, rotating his shoulder a little. Yazoo had let go of his arm and turned around, listening to his teacher with attentive eyes. He even gave a little nod and Cid thought that maybe everything wasn´t lost.

"But if ya use the guys strength against himself ya on the safe side. Ya just need ta be fast an quick-witted, but the more ya practice, the more mechanical the movements become, till ya not thinking but just doin´ it."

He took another drag from his cig. "We´ll try this again a little later, I´d say ya oughta warm up first. Wouldn´t want ya ta overstretch sumthin´… Yest run twenty rounds around the yard."

"…Are you serious?"

"Ya bet I am," Cid retorted, throwing his finished smoke on the ground and smashing it under the sole of his boot. "Ya keep runnin´ an' I'll get a punchin´ bag from the garage," he ordered, turning around and vanishing inside the house again.

When he came back, Yazoo was still making his rounds and the mechanic took his time to get the punching bag up. After a few sample hits, he was satisfied with his work and called the panting youth over. The water bottle he threw was caught with little effort and, much to Cid´s approval, he noticed that Yazoo had some reflexes. They just lay dormant and needed to be re-awakened. After years of just shutting off, it probably wouldn´t be easy to get him out of his habit to just roll up and take it.

"C´mere," Cid instructed and waited for the youth to stand beside him. It was probably easier to let him practice with something non-living first, to make him get used to it.

"Make a fist and then jest punch the bag."

Yazoo shot him an awkward look, having expected a bit more of instruction on technique, but Cid just held the bag and made an inviting, curt gesture with his head. He wanted to observe first, to get an idea what he was dealing with. Technique could come later, it certainly _would, _but for now, he just wanted Yazoo to come out of his shell.

Yazoo simply stood before the bag, curled his long fingers into a loose fist and dispassionately let it fall against the sandbag.

"Oh my…" Cid muttered under his breath, resisting the urge to shake his head in misery. "Ya know, ya can actually hit a bit harder, it won´t punch back…" He forced a lopsided smile onto his features, trying to look encouraging, but instead Yazoo just backed away, alienated.

Relaxing his features back into his normal grumpy face, Cid braced himself against the bag, sighing "Jest try it, ya can´t do anything wrong. Punch it with all ya have."

The blond wasn´t sure if the exasperated sigh that echoed through the yard was his own, but at least he actually felt something this time when the punching bag was hit and bounced a little against his steely body.

"Good!" he exclaimed. "See, it´s not that hard. Try again."

The next few punches were already a bit harder, eliciting the mechanic a "Yeah, that´s it! Use ya otha fist as well, ya can do that! Jest imagine ya really, really angry. Imagine the punching back jest called ya a skinny, girly dumbass!"

Yazoo shot him another awkward look, making the blond shrug and smirk, but then he just focused his attention back on the bag and his fists shot out to leave imprints on the worn, rough leather.

"Great," Cid breathed, leaning a little more weight against it to hold it in place. "Ya doin´ great."

They continued in that manner for at least half an hour. With a feeling of rising satisfaction, Cid noticed that Yazoo put more and more force into his hits, encouraged by his words and praise, until he really had trouble holding the damn bag! One look into the youth´s determined, sweating face with the tight expression told Cid that he wasn´t even listening to his words anymore, that he was totally lost in the exhausting rhythm. Cid would have given the best screwdriver in his toolbox to get a glimpse at the boy´s thoughts then, but he reckoned that it was far too early to expect him to verbally open up. For now, this had to suffice to relieve a little bit of the frustration Yazoo must feel, and it seemed to work.

Eventually Cid let go of the bag, sighing. "A´right, a´right, that´s enough, ya can stop now."

Panting, Yazoo let his red fists sink down and lifted his gaze, as if he was just coming out of some trance.

"Ya did great," the blond assured again, licking his lips and reaching for their water bottles. He handed Yazoo his and then emptied his own with a few gulps, wiping his mouth afterwards.

"We´ll stop here for taday, it´s gotten late," he decided, litting another cig already. Yazoo just nodded weakly, feeling a little dizzy from the exertion.

"From now one we put an hour o´excercise before and after work on schedule," Cid informed the youth, receiving just a tired, uncaring nod. "But now let´s jest grab some food, I´m friggin´ starvin'."

TBC

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**So, I hope you didn´t find this chapter broing, since well, there wasn´t THAT much happening, apart from Cid teaching Yazoo some self-defence. If you are a professional you might think this is pretty unorganiced, but so is Cid, he doesn´t really have a plan for most of the things he´s doing ;)**

**Valitiel:** Haha, there are millions of things Cid forgot to tell Yazoo about, he´s just too chaotic XD But Yazoo has nevres made of steel, he´ll just grin and bear it, he has no other choice anyway^^ In the beginning of the last chapter there was a crucial change in behaviour that´s being continued here. Cid has accepted his responsibility and Yazoo comes to slowly accept help as well. I´m happy you liked it!

**kiki-slasha:** Thank you, I´m glad you liked it! I am not sure if this is the kind of contact you imagined, but it is a start^^ There will be more of course and there will be sexual tension soon. Yazoo looks good and Cid has been abstinent since years, it´s inevitable, so to speak XD I hope your inner Reno doesn´t beat you up, I´d be too happy if you decided to ship this story ^^

**sareyva:** Hey, I´m happy you like my Cid, he´s growing on me too^^ I might have already mentioned it, but when I started writing this I had no clear concept on his character at all. It´s getting better, though XD And I don´t think Barret can say anything in a non-threatening manner, really! He was hostile almost the whole time he had on screen in AC! Hahaha, yes, Yazoo doesn´t has it easy, but he has patience, and he´s been through worse ;) Thank you for reviewing I´m glad you liked the chapter!

**Review please?**


	13. Chapter 13

**Many thanks to PfenixB for doing such a wonderful job with the betaing!**

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13

Groggily, Cid forced his eyes open, taking in the still dark room. Confused, his bloodshot eyes darted over to the clock on the nightstand and a groan escaped him at the sight. Two fucking a.m. in the damn night! He closed his eyes again, hoping the pressure in his bladder would just magically vanish, but after another agonizing minute he swung his legs out of the bed, muttering an exasperated "What the hell?!"

Grabbing for a washed out dressing gown, he stumbled through the dark room, avoiding some stacks of magazines and a pile of clothes and grumpily opened the door. He remembered just last minute that he couldn´t express his rage of waking up in the middle of the night for a piss by stomping his apartment and smashing doors, since he had a guest. Which made him even grumpier, but at least he took a deep breath and tiptoed to the bathroom.

After he had relieved himself, he gave the toilet a withering glare and then went back to the living room. He had to wait a moment for his eyes to adjust back to the darkness and tried to make out some shapes and that was when he noticed the small stripe of light coming from under the door to his office.

Narrowing his eyes Cid walked over, trying to hear something coming from the room, but it was utterly quiet, so he just pressed down the handle and stepped in.

"What the hell ya doin?" Cid frowned at Yazoo, who was sitting at the ground before the low table, hunched over some papers. "It´s fuckin´ 2 a.m.!"

The boy looked up at the man with sleepy eyes, pen resting still in his hand. "I cannot sleep… You are wearing a dressing gown with butterflies and a flower pattern."

The mechanic´s eye twitched at that calmly spoken observation, snapping "No shit Sherlock!" Then he rubbed over his grouchy face, trying to get his mood under control when he noticed Yazoo flinch just the slightest bit.

"Sorry," Cid mumbled, slowly shuffling over. "t´s an old one o´ma wife's…"

The youth simply nodded his head in understanding and took a sip from his cup. Sighing, the blond grabbed his own empty cup from his desk and held it into Yazoo´s direction. While the young man filled it, the mechanic sat down on the floor, head propped in one hand and had a quick, dizzy look over whatever Yazoo was writing.

"Here." The youth handed him back his cup and Cid took it with a slight nod of gratefulness. He wasn´t sure if drinking coffee now was the brightest of ideas but to hell with it, he was thirsty! The next moment he made a surprised face, which changed quickly to narrowed eyes and a sharp look at his apprentice "What the hell is that?"

"Chamomile tea," Yazoo replied, eyes again on his files. "I found it in one of the cupboards and thought it would help me sle-"

"Who the fucking hell allowed you to go through my things without permission?!" Cid suddenly interrupted harshly, putting the cup down with a bang, eyes blazing. Yazoo just stared at him open mouthed, totally surprised by the sudden outburst.

"Ya can´t just waltz in here like ya fuckin´own ma damn place!" the mechanic shouted, furiously dragged a hand through his hair.

"I am good enough to take care of your paperwork and your bills, to work my ass off at your shop for no money whatsoever but I am imposing on you if I make myself some tea?"

The question was spoken with obvious disbelief and not so much sarcasm, clearly not intended to upset but to get a grasp on what was going on.

Still, the mechanic seemed to be offended when he suddenly hit the table with his fist, making the cups jump and Yazoo flinch.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

The room was utterly silent after that. Yazoo clung to his biro, fingers cramped around the slim item, knuckles turned white. He had unconsciously crawled back on the floor until he bumped with his back against the wall, round eyes fixated on the heavily breathing blond and his enraged expression.

That -the soft thud breaking the tense silence as Yazoo connected with the wall- made Cid come out of his choleric attack and his shoulders slumped down. He briefly closed his eyes, covering them with one hand and murmured "Shit."

Then he breathed a shuddering sigh and his hand fell back in his lap.

"Look, I´m sorry, I didn´t mean ta scream."

"It´s alright, it was my fault," Yazoo breathed tightly, still pressing himself against the wall and looking like a mouse at a cobra.

For a moment it seemed like Cid´s entire features were slipping down his face as he realised that the youth hadn´t even really heard him. He was just busy to appease Cid´s anger and get out of it alive…

"No really, please, jest… relax. I´m not angry or something, I certainly ain´t gonna hurt you," he said slowly, but all he got was a quick, consenting nod, without Yazoo giving up his tense state even one bit.

"I…I was jest…" the mechanic nervously licked his lips. The guilt was suddenly overwhelming and he felt so bloody shitty, because he´d just done the same he wanted to spare Yazoo from. He had frightened the shit out of him, and for no real reason at that. Well, maybe there was a reason… He took a deep breath and then explained,

"I´m sorry, really. I was jest surprised cos, ya know… Ma…-ma wife always made chamomile tea for me. The friggin' best, I tell ya!" He gave a short, hollow laugh that shrunk to a thin, bitter smile, but at least Yazoo relaxed a little, tilting his head.

"Yeah, an´ after she passed away… I haven´t drunk one damn cup o´that tea ever since. Jest…kept it in the cupboard an´…"

He paused, gulping down the lump that choked his throat, threatening to make his voice croaky.

"Jest surprised me." Cid finished quietly. He grabbed for the pack of cigs lying on the table and lit it with slightly trembling hands, glad that he had something to cling to.

"I am sorry," Yazoo said again, but this time it sounded like he was fully aware of what he was saying. The pen was laxly hanging between his fingers.

"Ya couldn´t know," Cid replied, brushing the cig against the ashtray and then adding with a wry smile "Ya tea ain´t that shitty either, though."

The youth remained quiet for a moment, before giving a monosyllabic "Thanks".

Feeling uncomfortable in the heavy silence that followed, Cid nodded at the papers and asked interestedly, to distract from their little dispute, "Lookin´good?"

"Well," Yazoo quietly said, coming a bit nearer and reaching for one of the papers. "I am not done yet, but I would say it could look far better. You are wasting large amounts of money for nothing, simply because you do not keep track of your stocks. You do not have fixed prices, as far as I can see…"

"Yeah, I charge by like whateva I feel ´s right. If it´s a friend it´s less." Cid frowned, shrugging, and expectant eyes lingering on the youth in his sleeping shirt.

"I suppose your clients must all be rather close friends to you then," Yazoo muttered, but continued in his normal, calm voice, "Then there is this thing with the tabs you lost, which costs you, as far as I reckoned, over 1000 per year."

"Oh." Cid looked at his apprentice with big, round eyes, trying to digest the number.

"That is the lost money from the tabs alone," Yazoo informed him with an arched eyebrow, looking through the papers. "I would advise you from now on to just stick to better bookkeeping. Think about some fixed prices, or you will lose track. If you have them, it will be easier to anticipate what you will gain at the end of the month. And just… abandon this tab thing. If they really are your friends they will pay for their stuff."

"Errr," Cid cleared his throat, threw the papers a worried look, but then with some effort dared to ask in a small voice, "I ain´t havin´ any debts, have I?"

Yazoo shook his head, inwardly cringing that the man didn´t even know _that_!

"Great," the mechanic exhaled, a huge, cocky grin spreading on his face as he folded his arms over his chest in self satisfaction.

"But over the years you lost approximately 20.000 that could have been easily avoided," the youth continued wryly, lying the paper aside and looking at his employer with a bittersweet smile. "That´s a new truck, an assistant, an air conditioning system, a -"

"Shit," Cid mumbled, not looking so happy anymore as he rubbed his hand over his chin and took another drag from his cig. "A´right. A´right ya can stop I get the point… Shit."

Shaking his head in disbelief, he took a distracted sip from his tea, gulped it down and shook his head again. "´kay, I think we better talk ´bout that tamorrow, I ain´t feelin´ like I can deal with that right now…"

Yazoo just gave an indifferent shrug and sipped at his own tea.

"So…" the mechanic spoke up again to distract from another unpleasant matter (he just seemed to have a special talent to get himself into shitty situations at 2 a.m.), "Ya couldn´t sleep?"

He received another curt nod and frowned. "Ya know after all the work-out an´ stress ya should sleep like a friggin log... Ya still thinkin' or what?"

Turning the cup in his hand for no apparent reason, Yazoo let his gaze glide over the various papers again, answering "Not really… I am tired, but I just can´t sleep." He paused, tilting his head and drawing his knees closer to his chest, murmuring. "I´m not used to sleeping alone."

"I see," the blond nodded, exhaling some smoke and stubbing the cigarette out. "Had exactly the same problem after she-" He stopped, frowning again. He usually didn´t talk about such things or her, and he had no idea why he was doing so now. Must be because he was tired or because of the tea or something, so he left the sentence unfinished and instead simply said "I understand that."

The silver haired youth gave the man a scrutinizing look over the rim of his cup. "What did you do to overcome it?"

The blond gave a shrug. "Dunno, it went away after a few years."

"A… few years?" Yazoo echoed somewhat crestfallen.

"Eh… jest… ya know, doesn´t have ta be the same with ya, I´m an old man…" Cid scratched his head, finished his tea with one last gulp, and rose from the ground.

"A´right kiddo, time ta go ta bed. Ya too," he threw the boy a stern look and the youth rose as well.

After a last look through the room, the mechanic turned out the light and closed the door behind him to get another round of much needed sleep.

TBC

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**I might take a little pause, since college just re-started and I am relatively busy.**

**Valitiel: **Hehe**, **Cid may think that Yazoo isskinny (too much for his liking, that´s why he tries to stuff him with food), but he doesn´t think he is dumb! Especially not after Yazoo took care of all the paperwork XD

**kiki-slasha: **Alright, there will be lusty thoughts in the next chapter^^ Having thoughts and doing things are two very different things, so I think I can get away with it... It´s about time something happens anyway, otherwise I´ll get bored. I am happy you like it, sometimes I think I drag things on for too long because I´m a bit of a pendant with plot and making everything realistic, so that I forget about the actual main story :)

**sareyva:** Oh hahaha, yes, he is! But I think that´s because he´s just too lazy to clean up _anything_, therefore everything is messy^^ I think Yazoo´s cowering might surprise the attacker for a moment, but then he´ll be at a disadvantage again, so Yazoo should better learn to defend himself... And I am glad Cid does teach those techniques to him!

**Thanks everyone for reading and reviewing, happy Easter!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Sorry folks, this chapter is really short, but it´s an update nonetheless *sigh*  
**

**Thanks to PfenixB for the quick, and as always, wonderful betaing!**

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14

Cid lazily shifted in the sheets, slowly waking up from a rather refreshing and relaxing deep sleep. It was the kind when the body felt pleasantly heavy, but not crushed, when the dormant energy slowly started to build up and was beginning to almost eagerly prod one out of bed to start into the day to create something, to let it all flow freely…

Who´d have thought he´d get that after the night´s trouble, eh? But maybe it was exactly because of that? First off, he now knew for certain that he hadn´t any debts to worry about. And further, he thought that he and Yazoo had made some progress, in a way… Boy, that kid was keeping him busy, but not that he minded, not anymore. It didn´t surprise anyone more than Cid but he liked the kid being around actually. Mostly Yazoo was quiet, sometimes almost to the point of being lethargic, but Cid was okay with that. He enjoyed the mutual silence.

Besides, looking like he did, Yazoo attracted a whole bunch of new customers and that in itself was a benefit. Maybe he should really think about paying him… Also, it was nice to have someone around, his apartment to be filled with another living, breathing creature who lifted the too heavy and too apparent silence and took a bit of its weight. Further, Cid had something nice to look at and the boy made some damn good chamomile tea as well…

With a dumb, sleepy smile that only people coming out of sleep can manage, Cid slowly rolled on his side, draped his arm over the warm body next to him and snuggled closer, burying his head against its small back to shield out the warm sun brightly shining into the room. Maybe he could take another few minutes in that cozy, comfortable warmne-

Wait.

Another body?!

Cid stiffened, suddenly feeling very awake, and slowly blinked his drowsy, swollen eyes open, suspecting something tremendous.

Heaving his head up, he blankly stared down at the body in front of him, the one he was currently holding in his arms and whose back was turned on him. The long silver hair spilling over the cushions and the fine features of his sleeping bedmate were very clear.

The mechanic blinked for another moment before he suddenly shirked away from an unfazed sleeping Yazoo with a rather unmanly yelp.

"What da fuck?!"

Panic-stricken, he crawled back on the mattress until his palms met with thin air and he inelegantly met with the hard floor, legs still hanging over the bed.

"Hm," was the testy reply from above and the blanket was pulled away from under Cid´s bare feet as Yazoo pulled it closer around his lithe form, clearly displeased about being woken.

"What the…" the blond repeated again with a dumbfounded expression that then turned agitated as he struggled to his feet –ignoring his sore ass- and leaned over the mattress to face his apprentice. "Wake da hell up! Whaddcha doin´ in ma friggin bed?!"

The offender shifted a bit and eventually deigned to look over his back with half lidded eyes, declaring dryly, "Sleeping, obviously." He blinked lazily, gracing Cid with one of his aloof, but still miffed, accusing looks and added, "Or at least I am trying to."

"Yeah, I can see dat," the mechanic replied acridly, briefly squeezing his eyes shut against the bright light and the whole… awkwardness of the situation before demanding to know, "Why the goddamn hell are ya sleepin´in _my_ bed?!"

"Hn," was the unnerved reply and then Yazoo turned his head back, snuggling deeper into the cushions, clearly not intending on getting up. "I told you I cannot sleep alone…"

"Dis ain´t happenin'…," Cid muttered more to himself in clear disbelief, rubbing with a hand over his face and then getting up on his feet. Morosely grabbing the blanket he exposed the figure of his impertinent apprentice with one quick pull. "Get the hell outta here!"

Yazoo growled, curling his long body into a ball as the coldness suddenly and brutally engulfed him, but eventually he slowly rose into a sitting position, looking back at his employer with sleepy eyes, not understanding what the whole commotion was all about.

The mechanic stared at the bare-legged figure with its huge, dreamy eyes and the slightly ruffled hair that dazzled him with its almost overwhelming cuteness before he remembered that he was actually pissed here – and had every right to be, damn it!- and his features merged back into a scowl. He made an imperious gesture accompanied by an agitated grunt with his head towards the bedroom door, and indifferently Yazoo got up and walked out of the room.

Cid briefly wondered how he managed to look so damn sophisticated and sexy at 8 am after pulling an almost all-nighter, but then quickly shoved the thought back for the sake of his sanity.

He certainly had other things to worry about. For one, they were running late with opening the shop and the garage, which was a wonder in itself because usually the blond was up at 6 already. Normally he took 5 to 6 hours of sleep. Not because he wanted to, but because he suffered from insomnia since Shera-… well, since a few years.

Shaking his head, he threw the blanket back on the bed and sat down on the mattress, snoozing and rehabilitating from the morning shock. Just what was the kid thinking?! First he tried to damn rob him, then he stole his precious tea and now his bed?! What was next?! Not that he minded the little extra help in his shop or the tea- but this was simply going too far! This was _his_ goddamned bed! And the last thing he needed in there was a long-legged, stunningly gorgeous young man with pouty lips and big, shining eyes…

Shaking his head, Cid groaned, thinking that this particular thought just sounded so wrong. He looked back at the door again, hearing the faint sounds of the shower and with another groan he finally got up and into the kitchen to start breakfast. It was 8:16 am and they opened at 9:00, so there was still some time left, but certainly not enough for a morning workout. Well, he´d whip the brat around the block in their lunch break, that was for sure!

TBC

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**Yeah... Yazoo thought he was veing practical, but obviously there is a clash of perspectives here... :)**

**kiki-slasha**: Ha, I just pretend to be more diligent;) Usually I try to update once a week, but it isn´t working right now. Now, Yazoo thought to take matters in his own hands, but we´ll have to see if he can convince Cid of his great idea^^ Thank you for reviewing! (I´m looking forward to your next chapters, btw!)

**jennie300303:** Yes, I suppose it was how it usually started with Yazoo and Reno: Reno started yelling, and then actions followed. Cid showed a bit of an aggressive behaviour and I think it triggered a certain behaviour withing Yazoo (going into the defensive). They really don´t have it easy XD I´m glad you liked it!

**Valitiel:** Haha, yes, his poor neighbours... I actually hadn´t thought about that, but you gave me an idea. Maybe I can include such a neighbour, I´ll see^^. And yes, chamomile is a tea indeed. A herbal tea for stomach problems (rather popular in my home country), but it does taste good as well. With lots of sugar. Thanks for the comment!

**sareyva:** Yazoo just presents the advantages of being organized, whether Cid will accept them or not is up to him. I for example am a person who knows perfectly well about the pro´s of being organized-but I am still chaotic, simply because I am too lazy to keep track with my things :D But anyway, thank you for the feedback and I´m happy you liked it!

**Salawati:** Oh hallo! Mal wieder jemand aus meinem Heimatland *freu* Freut mich, dass dir Cids Darstellung gefällt! Ehrlich gesagt hatte ich nicht wirklich einen Plan was ich hier eigentlich mache, als ich die Geschichte angefangen habe, aber so nach und nach kommt es^^ Naja, Cids und Yazoos Beziehung entwickelt sich wirklich laaaangsam, weil ich erstmal ein Gefühl für die Charaktere kriegen musste, und manchmal mache ich mir schon ein bisschen sorgen dass ich es zuweit hinauszögere, aber zum Glück haben sich in der Beziehung bis jetzt alle positiv geäußert. Dankeschön für das Kompliment über meinen Schreibstil! Ich denke mein armer Beta kriegt manchmal eine Krise, weil ich endlos Sätze fabriziere um etwas ganz simples zu sagen, aber in einer Fremdsprache ist das alles auch irgendwie verzwickter. Reno taucht auch bald wieder auf, wahrscheinlich schon im nächsten Kapitel :) Also, vielen Dank für das tolle Review, und hoffentlich bis zum nächsten Kapitel!

**darkbloodymoon:** Thank you, I´m glad you like it! I´ll try my best to update regularly, but I cannot promise anything...

**luvyuyu:** Yay, here you are! Haha, Yazoo took his chance when he got one, it isn´t every day that he can slap Cid and get away with it XD Yes, Yazoo reminds Cid of his wife in a few ways and he does need love, but he´ll get it^^ Ah, they´ll hopefully soon be all lovey dovey *cough* Well... At least they can try. Thanks for reviewing!

**Review please?**


	15. Chapter 15

**New chapter, longer this time. Thanks to PfenixB for the inspiration and the wonderful betaing!**

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15

When Cid finally emerged from the bedroom, first morning cigarette dangling from his lips, he almost let the lighter tumble from his hands as he saw a tall, dark man standing in his living room.

Cursing, he caught the item mid-air and ran a hand through his messy hair, breathing out, "Dammit Vince! Can´t ya yest knock like any decent neighbour?!"

The pale man inclined his head, answering calmly in a deep, slightly raspy voice, "I did, actually. It seemed you were busy, so I invited myself in. I did not know you had company, however. My apologies."

The mechanic stared at him blankly for a moment, before he became painfully aware of how it must have looked when Yazoo came out of his bedroom, wearing nothing but his sleeping shirt (and hopefully some underwear, Cid hadn´t paid much attention to that. Though if he thought about that now a strange jolt shot through his guts).

"What da hell?! It ain´t like dat, okay?!" he blurted out, feeling his cheeks heating up. "I ain´t screwin´ him or anything, what ya think I am?!"

"I do not judge you," Vincent replied quietly, his eyes briefly darting towards the closed bathroom door before his heavy, unreadable gaze came to rest upon the flustered blond again. "I just came to re-borrow five eggs, a cup of salt and half a bottle of milk along with a package of flour and two loafs of bread. I will get the bottle of whiskey another time. And since I am here already I would like to offer my congratulations as well. I do not want to sound offensive but I am happy for you to have found another mate, it certainly was about time."

Cid clicked his gaping mouth shut, thinking that this was certainly the longest monologue he´d ever heard the guy say and instantly felt like pointing out in very colourful language that he _didn´t_ have a new mate and that Vincent Valentine could shove his damn congratulations back up his friggin skinny ass! Instead, he walked over to the kitchen though, feeling those creepy eyes follow him, and replied testily, "Look, sorry ´bout da food stuff, I swear I ain´t forgotten dat on purpose. Yest, lotsa things goin´on recently." He shot the man a sharp look over his shoulder "An´most certainly nat da things ya pervy self's thinkin´, ya got me?"

Vincent remained silent, but his impassive look probably said more than any words of doubt could ever have. Unnerved, Cid finally lit his cigarette, snorting out the warm smoke through his nose, and opened the fridge to see what he could probably shove into the guy's face to finally get him and his unsettling attitude out of his apartment. Seriously, as if he´d take advantage of a mentally unstable young man who just had lost the love of his life! What kind of animal did they think he was?! Though, if he thought about it more, it was actually Yazoo taking advantage of him by just crawling under his blankets…

Angrily shaking his head, Cid grabbed for a bottle of milk – which could very well have been the same one he had borrowed three weeks ago from Valentine- and two eggs, shoving them into the man´s arms.

"I´ll get da rest back ta ya later," he grumpily announced, closing the fridge door and leaning against it with his arms crossed in a defensive manner.

Vincent looked at the bottle with a lifted brow, shaking its almost solid contents a little and being glad that it was closed (at least he got himself some quark).

He gave a slight nod then, attempting to leave the smoke infested apartment and its grumpy occupant in denial, when Cid scratched his chin and came after him, grabbing his arm.

"'Ey wait!"

Vincent turned his head in question and the mechanic scratched his chin again.

"Ya still doin´that shootin´stuff?"

"Target practice, you mean? Yes, I do."

Cid nodded, asking himself for the thousandth time what exactly it was Vincent earned his money with – but then he maybe didn´t want to know _too_ exactly. It sufficed that he knew that the man was quiet and always fully stocked when he had forgotten to go grocery shopping.

"Yah… Ya think ya could teach a pal o´mine da basics? Ya know dat guy´s weak like a bloody kitt´n an´ drops dead when ya only lookin´at him in da wrong way…" Unconciously his eyes drifted back to the bathroom door, where the noise of the running water had stopped.

Following the man´s gaze Vincent defied a small, amused smile spoiling his aloof features and answered calmly "I would be delighted to teach him." He secretly felt rather relieved to see his friend finally take an interest in another person again. God knew he had been moping about his wife´s death long enough now…

"Great, I´m gonna send ´ím over after work," Cid quickly said, licking his lips and then practically pushing the man out the door. The last thing he needed was the two of them getting to meet in his corridor and make the situation even more awkward.

Closing the door in Vincent´s face with another distracted, hasty nod of gratitude he sighed as he finally got him out and went back to the living room. There he was greeted by Yazoo, bent over and drying his long hair with a towel, another one draped around his slender hip.

Groaning Cid rolled his eyes and turned his head away from the pretty boy standing almost naked -and rather unfazed about it- in the middle of the room. Just what was it with kids these days?! No respect for older people's concepts of decency nor any consideration for their… well, rising discomfort due to the strange excitement building up in his stomach. Damn, it hadn´t been that long since, had it?

"Who was that?" Yazoo calmly asked, laying the towel aside and starting to go through his plastic bag to find something that certainly wouldn´t cover much more of his exquisite body than the tiny towel did.

"Ma neighbour," Cid grunted, walking back into the kitchen to make something to eat. His apprentice quickly followed, drawing his long hair up into a ponytail since it was more practical, and started to heat some water.

Seeing Yazoo reaching for the tea bags, the mechanic pushed the coffee machine away and instead started to search for something edible in the cupboards.

"I didn´t know you had neighbours… I never saw nor heard him before," Yazoo marvelled, stopping in his task of putting tea bags into two cups to look over at the blond.

"Yeah?" Cid said, stubbing his cig out in one of the many ashtrays littering his apartment. "He´s a quiet guy." Shrugging, the older man smelled at a bag of cereal and decided that it seemed relatively okay, so he put it on the table. He almost wanted to go over to the fridge to get the milk when he remembered that he had given it back to his infiltrating neighbour –the goddamn gods knew how he had come here in anyway.

So he simply sat down, grabbing the hot steaming cup of tea Yazoo put down before him and started to mix the dusty, dry mass in his bowl with chamomile tea. The youth sat down opposite him, crossing his long legs and, after a sceptic look at the cereal, decided that he was fine with just tea.

"A´right. About dat earlier: ya can´t yest sleep in ma bed," Cid suddenly decided.

Yazoo looked from his tea, cocking his head slightly to the side. "Why not? I slept very well and since you won´t try anything I do not see any problems with it." His eyes then narrowed suspiciously as he added critically "You won´t, will you?"

"Wha- Damn sure I won´t! But dat´s nat the point – Eat ya damn cereal, will ya!" Cid returned in an irritated manner, gulping down a large sip of his own tea to hide his flustered state and morosely motioned with his head at the bowl he had prepared for his apprentice.

Yazoo reluctantly prodded with his spoon in the crispy mass and then obediently ate a tiny bit, answering with a lifted brow, "What is the point then? You slept better as well, didn´t you?"

"Yah- No. Well… Maybe, a little…" the mechanic frowned, his own spoon pausing halfway to his mouth.

"Hn. It is merely a practical arrangement," Yazoo pointed out boredly, eyeing his food before his jade gaze went up to rest on his employer´s scrubby face again. "I work better when I am not sleep deprived. And my mood profits remarkably from that as well."

"Ya ain´t-" Cid flared up again, but then he paused, thinking about it with another frown. Bitchy, dour Yazoo vs. the nice, pleasant-to-be-around guy; it wasn´t really a tough choice.

"What da fuck…" he muttered again, rubbing at his temple and the upcoming headache until he let his spoon sink down in favor for another much needed cig and announced with a grumpy look, "Fine, ya win. But no cuddling, ya hear me?"

"Hn." Yazoo smirked, and guided another spoon full of the disgusting cereal to his mouth.

*

Panting, Yazoo grabbed for a water bottle on the counter. He almost regretted his move on Cid, namely sneaking into his bed to get some much-needed sleep, since it seemed that his employer took a certain delight on getting back at him with driving him around the block to the point of a near collapse. Worst thing was that he actually ran beside him the whole time, prodding him to go faster and stop 'sauntering like a damn pussy'. With the consumption of his daily amount of cigarettes that consisted of at least one package, Yazoo seriously wondered what he did wrong, because while he was ready to drop dead, Cid had enough energy to curse his 'girly ass' and not even break a sweat.

Emptying half the bottle, he leaned against the counter, his lithe form heaving with deep intakes of breath. Leaning his forehead against the cool bottle, he closed his eyes to rest for a moment before the lunch break was over – which actually hadn´t really been a break at all- and they opened the shop again. He had just enough time to take a quick shower and change clothes before he went down again and prepare for re-opening…

The sudden shrilling of the telephone going off right beside him made him flinch, but not enough to abandon his lazy posture. Looking at the phone in slight annoyance he reached for it and said languidly into the speaker,

"Cid Highwind´s repair and assembling shop, Yazoo speaking, what can I do for you?"

Hopefully it wasn´t another super-excited agent who wanted to sell his overpriced screws, happily exclaiming that their shop had been chosen to get a 'special dumping price' that still cost twice as much as any regular price on the market.

There was a pause in which Yazoo almost cut the line (prank calls seemed to have become rather popular amongst the runts that weren´t old enough to shoot their fellow coevals on the streets yet), but then a familiar voice finally spoke up.

"Yo, babe."

"…Reno?" Surprised, Yazoo stood from the counter, briefly looking to the garage where Cid was currently working on something and then pulling the receiver closer.

"Yeah, it´s me."

Tilting his head, Yazoo remained quiet, waiting for the other to speak, but as nothing came he said,

"What do you want?" The coldness of his tone surprised him a bit, but then he didn´t feel as excited as he usually would have upon hearing from his boyfriend.

There was a laugh from the other end of the line that sounded a bit forced as Reno started to pace the apartment with one hand at his hip, saying, "No need to be so hostile, yo, just wanted to hear how ma princess is doin'."

"I am fine," the silver haired youth replied dismissively, intentionally not asking how Reno felt in return.

"That´s great."

"Hn."

"Soo… Any idea when ya comin´back?"

"I don´t know."

"I see… Ya still angry, or what?"

"Maybe."

There was a brief pause again, during which Reno, at the other end of the line, rubbed over his face, saying quietly and with evident remorse, "I´m sorry, I love you."

"I love you too." Yazoo replied, briefly closing his eyes. This wasn´t easy for him, either, but Cid´s words and actions had started to make a frightening amount of sense to him. Strangely enough he didn´t see himself as a victim here, a damsel in distress or as someone helpless. In a way it had been _his_ decision to let Reno have his way when he was drunk and felt like beating the crap out of him. He had simply remained impassive and not spend much thought on it. But it was different now. He didn´t _want_ to get beaten anymore. Reno simply had to understand that, somehow…

"I know baby, that´s cool," the redhead exclaimed enthusiastically, sounding relieved. "And I totally get that you felt like taking a pause to think and all, I did really bad things – or rather almost did them… But you can come home now, we can sort this out together, yo!"

"Reno… I don´t think so. I´d rather stay here for a few more days…"

"Oh, c´mon! I said I was sorry, didn´t I ? I´m really really _really_ sorry, okay? I didn´t mean to do those things, you know that, damn!"

"… Are you drunk?"

"And what the hell if I am?! … Sorry, didn´t want to yell… Look, I´m sorry. It´s just… I miss you, yo."

"I miss you too. I just don´t feel that it´s a good idea to come back right now. Just be patient with me for another few days, hm?"

The line remained silent, until Reno eventually gave a snort and a cold "Yeah, sure. Whatever" and just hung up.

Looking at the dead phone, Yazoo briefly shook his head and put it back, almost glad that he could open the shop and distract himself from the unpleasant thoughts that the bitter aftertaste of that conversation brought.

TBC

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**They got a neighbour, yay ^__________^ But, admittedly, they only got one because someone mentioned (I can´t remember who, please forgive me, whoever the great inspirator was!) that Cid´s neighbours had a pretty hard life with him stomping through his apartement at 2 am XD. Thanks for the idea^^**

**luvyuyu:** Hehe, Cid´s still in denial, or rather: he just starts to become aware that Yazoo has other qualities and that they get to him, indeed. Even if he rejected Yazoo´s former attempts to 'seduce' him. But now that Yazoo doesn´t try and the two get closer and start to like and respect each other it´ll become difficult for Cid to tell himself that he doesn´t want Yazoo at all ;)

**Valitiel: **Yes, he really should pay Yazoo already!!! Hm, but then again he lets him live in his apartment, use his bathroom and electricity, gives him food and lo- *cough* We aren´t there yet, damn it *wants it all to go faster*

**Review please?**


	16. Chapter 16

**Heya^^ Sorry for the long wait, I had to get my spirits up. Anyway this will be third last chapter before the story is finished. Now I need your help to solve the 'love'-triangle: should Yazoo end up with Reno or Cid? Or maybe Cid and Reno run away together XD**

**Anyway, enjoy the new chapter and many thanks to PfenixB for the awesome and fast betaing!!!**

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16

"So, how'd it go?" Cid asked almost boredly –trying to hide his curiosity behind a listless façade- as he picked up Yazoo from Vincent´s.

"Fine," his apprentice answered, following his employer back to their apartment through the narrow corridor.

"Had fun?"

"Hn."

"Did ya hit sumthing?"

"Hn."

"Got along with Valentine?"

"Yes."

"So, wanna go there again?"

"Hn."

"Anything interesting happened?"

"Hn."

Cid turned around at that and threw his arms up in an unnerved manner, chewing at the cig hanging in his mouth and growling "Good gods kiddo, cat got ya tongue or what?! Jest open ya damn trap up an´ tell me already!"

Meanwhile, they had reached Cid´s apartment and the older threw the door shut behind him and grumpily gestured towards the kitchen. Yazoo still graced him with an alienated look and a raised brow at the mechanic´s sudden outburst, but then he simply followed the invitation. It smelled a bit strange in the room, and he sniffed, asking lowly, "Did you burn something?"

"Shut up," the blond mumbled inaudibly under his breath and instead just pushed past Yazoo into the kitchen, eager to hide the slightly rosy colour that blossomed on his unshaved cheeks.

The silver haired youth was already used to Cid´s rough behaviour so he simply laid his jacket over the couch, went to the bathroom to wash his hands and face and then joined the other man for a well-deserved dinner. What did surprise him though was the full table, overcrowded by a huge pot with steaming potatoes, a plate with two ridiculously large, succulent steaks and another bowl with peas and sauce.

"Ya intend on keep starin´ at it or ya actually gonna sit down an´eat?"

Yazoo blinked at the wryly spoken comment and mechanically sat down on his seat. Cid shot him an almost morose side-glance before he grabbed an empty plate and filled it with a huge mountain of food he then unceremoniously put down before his apprentice.

"You cooked all that by yourself?" Yazoo asked, still disbelieving as he stared down at his plate, a pea falling from the top of the mountain onto the table.

"Yeah," Cid affirmed, scratching his head and poking a potato with his fork. "Figured you´d be hungry an´ all…"

Yazoo reached for his cutlery and timidly cut a tiny edge off the steak to nibble at it, but again he was amazed. "This tastes good, actually."

"Yeah?" the mechanic said, leaning a bit forward with an expectant, scrutinizing expression. Yazoo took another bite and nodded, slowly chewing at the tender meat.

"Good," Cid announced then, leaning back against his chair with a haughty look that should cover his relief and stuffed his mouth with another potato before he gestured with his fork over the table at Yazoo´s plate and said strictly, "An´ eat ya vegetables, will ya?"

The youth just smirked and began to clear his plate, when Cid spoke up again, sounding a bit muffled with all the food in his mouth,

"So ya gonna tell me now what happened at Valentine´s or what?"

Yazoo shrugged, taking his glass of water in hand. "Not much yet. He showed me the gun and its different parts. Then we practiced how to hold it right and then I shot a few times to see what I can do and what we need to work on."

"Oh." The mechanic sank his teeth into his steak, a look of sympathy briefly flickering over his face. If Yazoo acted as clumsy with a gun as he did with a punch, then he didn´t envy Vincent for his job one bit. Still he felt some pity for Yazoo as well. It must be rather frustrating to constantly fail on these things…

"Ya know, it ain´t dat big o'a deal anyways. Some guys have it here-" he pointed to his impressive biceps that bulged under his blue shirt- "an´otha´s have it here." He tipped with his index finger against his temple. "Doesn´t matter if ya can hold a gun or nat, what´s in here is what counts." Cid punched his rock-hard chest with a fist and squeezed Yazoo´s shoulder in a comforting manner with his free hand. He really wasn´t that good with encouragement and giving motivational speeches, but he had come to actually like the kid and he didn´t want to see him down, so Cid gave his best.

"Thank you," Yazoo replied, letting his fork sink down on his plate and fathomlessly staring into the frighteningly cheery face of his grumpy employer, "but actually I did pretty well."

"Oh," the blond said again, relaxing his facial features to a disbelieving one, before he asked again, doubt written all over his face "Really?"

"Yes. I have talent and great potential and it is a delight to teach me. At least that is what Vincent said."

"_Vincent_ said that," Cid grumbled, looking askance at his apprentice who had finally made it to the peas. "Must have gone pretty well when you´re already on first name basis."

"Well, he is nice," was the unperturbed answer, that didn´t exactly brighten Cid´s mood.

"Oh yeah? Ya betta be careful, dat guy ain´t kosher. Pretty strange, might be involved with sum shady business, ya know…" The mechanic made a meaningful pause to intensify the atmosphere of doom he intended to create. "No one knows what he´s doin´ all day long, could well be butcherin' little kittens."

The silver haired beauty lifted a brow at that. "He´s a weapon designer."

Cid looked dumbfounded for a split second before he snorted and asked derisively "An´how´d ya know?"

"Well, I asked him and he showed me his work."

"Asked him…" Cid shook his head and grabbed for his pack of cigarettes. He lived next door to Vincent for 4 years now and it had never crossed his mind once to simply ask the other man about his occupation. Nosy brat… "Whateva. Ya still be careful, ya hear me?"

"Hn."

"Great. Now eat up an get ya shower, I´m dead tired."

*

"And here I thought there was a no-cuddling policy."

Cid cracked his eyes open and dizzily stared into two green jade orbs that looked rather smugly back at him.

"Shuddup," the tired mechanic mumbled and freed his apprentice from the tight hug he´d kept him in, unconsciously of course and very much unintended. The man rolled on his back and stared at the ceiling, trying to wake up properly.

"Ya gonna make tea?" he called after the vanishing youth and received an affirming "Hn".

Cid flexed his back, stretched his arms and yawned before he deigned to swing his feet over the mattress. Despite his grumpy morning face, he felt actually good and almost a bit light-headed. Could be the fact that he was able to sleep through the night again, which was a real mood-lightener after 7 years of insomnia. Could also be that he had something to look forward to again: delicious tea, teaching the brat some martial arts, having some cool lemonade and slices of anchovy pizza in the backyard with Yazoo during their break. Hell, he even looked forward to the stressful lessons in bookkeeping he got from Yazoo since a week. It was complicated as hell and he´d thrown the one or other fit about the stupidity of it all, but Yazoo somehow managed to cool him down and keep him going with his patient, almost stoic attitude…

While Yazoo was at training with Vincent Cid´d make dinner and then they´d watch a bit of TV until one of them started to doze off and they´d go to bed. It was funny how fast they had established a routine in their life together, but it was by no means unpleasant. It was a settling, fulfilling routine, and Cid couldn´t comprehend how he had stood the constant loneliness before Yazoo had entered his life.

Of course he´d rather bite his tongue than tell the youth, but unconsciously he let him know that his presence was appreciated by paying close attention to what the young man liked and what not. He´d gotten rid of most of the machinery in his living room for example. His fridge was always filled now with delicious food, because Cid still had his mission to feed his roommate up –though it didn´t help much (Yazoo was as slender as ever, even though he indulged in Cid´s surprisingly good cooking.) He bought that special shampoo that cost twice as much as the one he had used before, but he liked the citrus smell and it made Yazoo´s hair look very shiny and soft.

Shaking his head the mechanic freed his head from these dizzy thoughts and stood, slowly padding into the bathroom to get his much needed morning shower. While Yazoo was rummaging in the kitchen to get up some breakfast the blond brushed his teeth and half heartedly shaved. Then he went into the shower and under the sound of the running water muffling his groans as he got rid of some pressure in his loins. It seemed that with his depression fading, his libido had been re-awakened as well. It wasn´t bad enough to be worrisome, but with the young man now living with him he had to be a bit careful, seeing as there was almost no privacy for either of them. Yazoo was probably used to it, but Cid wasn´t and after 7 years of abstinence, he had some difficulties keeping himself under control. He also blamed their physical closeness for his increasingly… strange fantasies. Besides Yazoo, there was no one else he knew –well, maybe Vincent, but that guy still gave him the creeps at times- and the youth _was _sex on legs so it probably was no wonder that his imagination was running a little wild. It wasn´t like he fantasized directly about Yazoo –he´d rather blow out his brains- but it was the light shade of long hair, or a very familiar curve that sneaked into his sexual daydreams that made it hard to ignore what the source of them was. Nothing too critical though, and so Cid could convince himself that everything was still okay.

After all, it only would have complicated things if he was to develop romantic feelings for his apprentice. Apart from the fact that Yazoo was still in a relationship, somewhat, and certainly had other things to worry about than Cid Highwind, the blond highly doubted that he was Yazoo´s type. Surely the young man could get himself someone younger, more sophisticated and better shaved –which was why Cid (unconsciously) kept a close eye on Valentine.

The blond emerged from the shower and rubbed his wet, hard body off with a towel he accurately folded afterwards and got into his working clothes. The apartment already smelled of fresh tea, eggs and bacon, and Cid thought that this looked like a good start for a good day.

If only he had known.

TBC

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**Okay, I hope Cid´s feelings for Yazoo are plausible^^' **

**kiki-slasha:** Oh well, secretly Cid has the same problem so doesn´t really mind that Yazoo sleeps in his bed. But Cid is Cid and can´t just simply admit it XD Ah well, I was thinking about elaborating the Cid-in-the-shower scene and give a more explicit glimpse into his phantasies but then I decided against it. Whoever comes out as the winner will get a good smut scene^^ Vincent... - we´ll probably see more of him in the next two chapters :)

**natzilla:** Hahaha, that is an interesting question, I have no idea if Vincent wants to bake a cake XD Maybe he does^^ But maybe he just wants to get his stuff back... Well, Cid really wasn´t a gourmet, but that changed a bit because he can actually cook very well if he wants to.

**Valitiel:** Oh gods, yes, Vincent´d probably put a bullet in poor Yazoo´s head before he can even start to bitch XD But then again Vinny put up with grumpy Cid for all these years as well... Well, we probably won´t find out if he´d lose his temper, since Cid luckily lets Yazoo sleep with him^^

**luvyuyu:** Chrchr, it was bound to happen, this 'misunderstanding'. Vincent´s a clever guy and sees right through Cid, there´s no use in pretending, hehehe. And it seems that Cid needs a good dosis of cddling himself^^

**Thanks to everyone for reviewing, and if you´d like I´d be delighted to know what pairing you prefer!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Heya! Welcome to the second last chapter^^ I´d like to thank my wonderful beta PfenixB again for the ever so awesome betaing!**

**Without further ado,**

**enjoy!**

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17

"Are you done for today?"

Cid jumped at the sudden, deep voice crawling up from behind and almost bumped his head at the tool shelf, cursing, "Gawddamn, Vince! Ya always have ta be so damn sneaky?!"

He turned around, seething at the tall man who only deigned to shrug, and affirmed grouchily "Ya, damn, almost done." His gaze went to the open garage door, where it was already dark, but the heavy strings of rain splashing onto the pavement could still be seen in the gloomy street lights. "Ain´t da weather for target practicing in the yard, uh."

Vincent nodded, and replied with a look outside "Yes. But we can have a theory lesson instead."

"Theory…" Cid cringed, blissfully oblivious to the fact that he gave Yazoo his fair share of manuals himself, but then his pale blue eyes darted over to Vincent again. "Ya know, ya can have ya lessons with us, was busy taday an´we ain´t got time for a decent lunch. I cook dinner and ya can have ya theory in da livin´room."

Vincent quirked an eyebrow. "_You_ cook?"

"Yah, anythin´wrong with dat?" the other replied a bit testily, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

"Not at all." Vincent shook his head and wondered in how far Cid´s offer was motivated by restrained jealousy; it seemed to him that the man was rather eager to keep an eye on his not-love-interest- or so Cid had claimed.

Before the other man could reply, the youth in question emerged from the shop, gracefully walking up to them in his tight shorts. "Can I have the key please? I want to close up."

With well hidden interest Vincent observed how the mechanic quickly averted his eyes from Yazoo´s long legs and fumbled the keys out of his jeans pocket. "Here ya go. And dun forget ta lock da backdoor twice!" he called after him, before turning his attention back to his neighbour. "What?!" he snapped irritably at the man´s slight smile, but Vincent just shook his head and wisely kept his thoughts to himself.

*

Yazoo went from the front to the back door, shivering a bit at the cold wind that blew through the corridor. It had been so close and hot during the day. Unfortunately their new air conditioning system would only be installed next week, so he had to settle with light clothing, as little movement as possible and an old newspaper for a fan. But then, in the late afternoon when it almost had become unbearable the sky had darkened with thick, black clouds and a summer storm had broken loose, thundering over the city and bringing much needed relief. The cool breeze was delicious to his skin, summoning light goose bumps and Yazoo remained at the open door for another moment, enjoying the monotone sound of the rain splashing on concrete.

"Yo."

His eyes instantly snapped open again, and his wary gaze wandered into the dark alley. "Reno?"

A stroke of lightening briefly lit the surroundings, revealing the familiar silouette of his (former?) boyfriend.

"Yo, it´s me babe." The alley went dark again, but now that Yazoo knew where he had to look at he could see the figure was slowly approaching him.

"What do you want," the silver haired youth asked dismissively, surprising himself a bit. It had been three weeks since they had last talked, and actually he´d have expected to be a bit more enthused by his showing up. But coming to think of it now he had barely spared Reno a thought during these weeks. Maybe because he´d been rather busy and had constantly been learning new things that kept his mind occupied. Still, if anything he felt slightly wary now and it gave his heart a stab. He forced his rigid stance to relax and look a bit more friendly, but his outwards behaviour unfortunately didn´t reach his inner attitude. The usual delight he had formerly felt when he had laid eyes on the redhead was still missing.

"Whoa, that sounds lovely," was the caustic retort. Reno had been waiting for Yazoo to call him for three friggin weeks, not even going out in case he could miss it, and he´d been worried sick! After what had happened he´d even worked up some understanding that Yazoo needed time to think things over and he had given it his fair share of thoughts as well. He saw that he had done wrong and that he had endangered their relationship, but he was more than willing to make up for it. He hadn´t touched one drop of alcohol since then, and he had written some applications to get a proper job. To his immense surprise he had gotten a positive reply and was overflowing with joy, but there was no one there to share it with him. His pals weren´t calling anymore, since he´d broken off contact with them, thinking that their rather gruff manners and constant proddings to join some shady jobs and get plastered was a bit counterproductive to his attempt at a new life. It had been hard, but he had restrained himself from opposing on Yazoo and call him, thinking that his lover would tell him when he was ready. But then he couldn't bear it any longer and now seeing that he still wasn´t welcome… It made him feel so lonely and… helpless… "Ya didn´t call."

"I was busy," Yazoo replied slightly dismissively. The cold now made him shiver a bit (or was it the weather?) as he carefully watched Reno closing up on him. Was it just him, or did the redhead waver while walking? He narrowed his eyes, even more wary now. "So, what do you want?"

Reno stopped a mere inches before the door. "What ya think I want?!" He sighed, shaking his head at his own snappy remark and added more softly, reaching out for Yazoo´s face. "I missed you, yo."

The wind carried a breeze reeking of alcohol to Yazoo´s face and stonily the youth turned away. Reno stopped mid-way, seeing the repellant expression and stiff posture of his boyfriend. He let his hand sink down in frustration, running it through his hair. Not only had Yazoo not returned his desire to be reunited, but outright refused him! "What the hell´s going on here?! You don´t want me anymore or what?!"

"I don´t know. Definitely not right now, no." At the lack of a reply, Yazoo averted his eyes from the wet figure of his boyfriend and reached for the door, saying, "I´m sorry, you better go home now. Maybe we can talk another time."

"Oh yeah? And when will that be? I´m damn tired of waiting, yo!" The desperate edge that had crept into the youth´s voice was overlaced by frustration that made it sound harsh and menacing.

Yazoo just tiredly shook his head, expression hard and unflinching as he turned around to close up. It was no use talking to Reno now. Or at any time maybe. He hadn´t changed at all, he was still drinking and aggressive and Yazoo had enough of it.

"Hey! Wait, I´m sor-" the redhead had reached out to him, but some rubble lying on the slippery street made him stumble and he roughly grabbed the other youth on the shoulder, searching for a halt.

Eyes going wide at the sudden, forceful contact, the youth jerked around and suddenly Reno found himself making contact with the pavement. His back connected with the hard surface, knocking all air out of his lungs, and a heavy weight was sitting on his chest, making it even more difficult to breath.

"What-" he groaned, looking up in horror. The rain was falling in Reno´s eyes, blurring his vision a bit, but he could still see the frighteningly furious face of his ex-lover and the fist that came down on his face the next moment. A crunching noise was heard, followed by a pained scream.

Yazoo stared coldly down at the other, straddling his chest and lifting his fist for another punch. His anger was only given away by his blazing, narrowed eyes and his tight expression, but Reno knew him long enough to know that something was very wrong. Never ever had Yazoo fought back, or even attacked him, so to say that he was shocked was an epic understatement.

The fist met with his face again, driven forward by years of restrained frustration and the relief for some payback, and Reno didn´t have time to dwell on his surprise. Another agonized grunt echoed through the rainy night, and he could feel warm blood spill out of his nose. He tried to struggle and get away or defend himself, but Yazoo was surprisingly strong and held him down, shocking Reno even more. Just where had he learned that stuff?! As far as he knew the youth hadn´t even gotten in a fight even once!

The fist was about to come crush down on him again, but before it could hit the redhead it was suddenly yanked back and a harsh voice breathed,

"What da hell´s goin´on here?!"

Cid frantically looked from one boy to the other while he still held Yazoo back and finally managed to get him off Reno. The redhead whimpered and instantly held his bloody nose, getting to his knees and rocking back and forth in the rain. The pain was excruciating, but more so was the fact that Yazoo had been the one to cause it, along with the definitely and undeniably hateful look he´d spared him as he beat him.

"He´s drunk, he attacked me!" Yazoo pressed through gritted teeth. Cid looked crestfallen and glanced at Vincent who had knelt down beside Reno, but the raven haired man just shook his head, denying Yazoo´s statement with somehow sad eyes. The redhead was clearly confused and in pain, but he was not drunk.

"Vince, get him, I´ll take care of this one," Cid ordered harshly and dragged the silver haired young man, who had gotten quite lifeless again, into the house.

The mechanic brought him to the apartment and sat him down on the couch, moving a hand through his hair in a helpless manner. Then he did the only thing that came to mind and got a full bottle of scotch and two glasses. The alcohol spilled a bit on the table as he filled them and downed his instantly, pushing the other into Yazoo´s direction.

"Drink."

Yazoo reached out hesitantly at first, but then downed the burning liquid with a placid expression, sitting hunched and quivering on the couch. Cid sighed, refilled their glasses and sat down beside him, running a hand over his face.

"Care ta tell me what happened?"

Yazoo was still clinging to his refilled glass, staring at the table, but finished it again before he spoke up with a raspy voice.

"I was closing up, but then he was just suddenly there… I thought he was drunk and then he grabbed me…"

Cid nodded understandingly and filled the glass again, drinking his own scotch in one gulp.

"As well could have been, as far as I know," he said, mild sympathy leaking in his voice. If one asked him the bastard sure as hell deserved a little payback, after all he had done to his apprentice. Heck, if it had been Cid out there there´d been much more broken than just his friggin nose!

"Don´t worry, Vince´ll take care o´ it, ya did nuthin´wrong."

Yazoo just kept staring at the table and Cid sighed, reaching over to his shirt that was draped over the armrest. Carefully he grabbed Yazoo´s hand and started to clean away the blood with gentle movements. He may look gruff, but if he wanted to he could be very kind.

"Hey." He let go off Yazoo´s hand, placing it in his lap and instead reached for the youth´s wet face, carefully cupping his hollow cheek and turning his head around so he would face him. The white skin was still dewy, big droplets hanging in the boy´s long black lashes. Bleary eyes looked up to him, looking somewhat unapproachable.

"It´ll be a´right, ya hear me?"

Yazoo just blinked and then averted his eyes, looking down past the man on the spotted carpet as if he couldn´t look him in the eye.

"What´s wrong?" the mechanic asked, his raspy voice sounding uncharacteristically soft. He really wasn´t good with this kind of stuff, but he felt that the youth needed someone to talk to now. He just couldn´t bury it inside him again! "Ya can tell me, whateva it is."

For a moment silent reigned between them but then Yazoo finished his glass again and said emotionlessly, "It´s… I wanted to hit him. I wanted to hurt him so bad."

Cid could feel the slight trembling of the drenched, svelte body through his grip and sighed, before he suddenly pulled him closer, drawing an arm around the slim form and placing the youth´s head against his broad chest. Yazoo stiffened in surprise, but then he relaxed and let himself be held. While he filled the youth´s glass again and took a long sip from the bottle the blond assured. "It´s okay, he had it comin´." Taking another gulp he looked down at the boy´s face and ask. "Ya feelin betta now at least?"

"No."

Nodding, Cid held the bottle into Yazoo´s direction, not caring that he just had filled his glass, and it was taken.

"Sumtimes ya can´t yest stick ta reasoning, ya know. They tell ya dat revenge ain´t doin´any good, but ya know when ma wife was killed…"

He paused, staring pensively at nothing. Yazoo shifted a bit, lookig up into the man´s face and asked, voice sounding a bit slurred already, "What happen´?"

Cid let his gaze drift back on the youth and he took the bottle again, before explaining. "Was hit by a car. The guy was dead drunk an´ hit Shera with 70 Hp in a pedestrian zone. They instantly called ´n ambulance but she didn´t make it. Was dead two hours after she got out o´ surgery. Accidently met the guy two years later after he got out o´ prison, in a bar. Recognized him instantly, was in a bar not far from here, belongs to a friend of mine, Tifa Lockhart… "

Yazoo nodded, since he had heard of that establishement. Reno had thrown a fit once because the bar maid wouldn´t serve him and his friends any alcohol since they were still underage and he could very well remember the consequences of Reno´s rage that night.

"Anyway, was sittin´there, drinkin´ma beer an´dat guy comes in. Bud I ain´t doin nuthin´,tellin´maself 'Cid, ain´t doin´anyone any good', but gawds know I was tempted! So I sat there, drinkin´another beer an´talkin´to ma pals. Called it a night a few hours later an´am yest about ta leave an get home when I see dat guy stumble out o´the bar, filled up an´walkin to his car. I after ´ím, callin out ta him 'Ey pal, ain´t a good idea ta drive now'. An´what does dat stupid asshole? Snorts inta ma face ´n tells me ta fuck off an´mind ma own business. So, I lost it an´punched him inta a bloody pulp. Tif´later said they had ta get 3 people to drag me off dat guy, can´t remember much." He washed down the bitter words with another large sip of scotch, before he finished.

"But what I wanted ta say is dat I felt yest as miserable aftawards an´not only cuz of da badass hangover. It didn´t make her come back at all, ya see, an´I knew if she´d still been there she´d beaten da shit outta me for what I did. It might make ya feel good for a moment, but it yest ain´t no solution. Ya gotta understand dat, do ya?"

Yazoo nodded against his chest and Cid sighed, drawing his arm closer and stroking over his head.

"Ya a good boy, Yazoo, ya deserve better." It was probably the alcohol taking effect that Cid spoke these words aloud, but Yazoo didn´t seem to mind apparently, as he nuzzled closer and took the flask out of the mechanic´s hand to have another sip himself.

"Hn. A… E… I...," Was the muffled, slurred reply and Cid frowned a bit, taking the bottle out of his hand.

"A´right, ya have enough. Let´s get ya ta bed," he decided, wavering himself as he got up and helped the youth up to get him into the bedroom.

tbc

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**We´ll see what happened in that bedroom in the next and final chapter, which I will hopefully soon write^^**

**Valitiel:** Yay, you´re almost always the first one to comment! *extra big hug* Haha, since Yazoo is rather mute, I suppose Vincent digs him because of his talent for shooting, and probably _because_ he isn´t babbling all the time XD I think Vincent isn´t much of a talker either^^ Haha, and I rather guess Yazoo was surprised for being cuddled by Cid!

**natzilla:** Oh, I know, I had almost forgotten about this story too... But since I don´t like leaving things unfinished I decided to shorten it remarkably and kill the original plot so it´ll be finished :) Well... Reno isn´t a total asshole, he just has issues and he really, really tried, but their relationship seems beyond recovery now. Tragic, but so is life *sigh* Hahaha, that´d be a twist if Yaz would go for Vincent XD Or maybe I can surprise everyone and make him saunter in, declaring that his big love is Barret *rofl* We´ll see ;)

**luvyuyu:** Hey there and thank you for the wb! Okay, your choice was rather clear XD Well, Cid is still a bit in denial, but his actions say more than words ;) His jealousy of Vincent pretty much shows that, though I don´t think he has to worry about that. But well, jealousy is known for being not exactly rational.

**Wildfire Sniper:** I´m glad you´re enjoying my story! I´m afraid it won´t turn into a Cid/Vincent story though. But that was my escape plan, in case people would rather have seen Yazoo and Reno back together. I wouldn´t have let poor Cid be all alone!

**sareyva:** Haha, okay, no Cid/Reno then XD I know, I´m being monosyllabic too, especially when I´m tired. But Yazoo is just a natural I guess. And you bet that was the best meal Yazoo had in a while! Cid is full of surprises and he might have been forced by Shera to join a cooking class with her or something, and now it comes in handy XD

**Salawati:** Dankeschön^^ Naja, eigentlich war der Plot für diese Geschichte viel länger und komplizierter, aber ehrlich gesagt ist bei mir ein bisschen die Luft raus und ich hatte kurzzeitig überrlegt, sie nicht ganz abzubrechen. Aber jetzt da ein Ende in Sicht ist, bin ich wieder motivierter, und ich hoffe, es ist trotzdem plausibel :) Ich häng ja doch ein bisschen dran. Und du hast absolut recht: das Leben ist nun mal kein Ponyhof. Obwohl sich Reno echt aufgerappelt hat und sich sehr bemüht, ist inzwischen doch soviel kaputt gegangen, dass es sich nicht mehr kitten lässt. Aber vielleicht findet er ja jemand anderes *hüstel*

**Goddess of Glomps:** Yay, I´m glad you reviewed! Well, I 'feared' that Reno being the bad guy may put people off, but it isn´t like he´s actually really evil. I think he really loves Yazoo, but their relationship has become destructive and Reno might have issues that make him act like he does. This is no excuse of course, but an explanation to understand him a bit better. And he realized that he can´t continue with this behaviour and changed, though it might be too late now.

**Xyleel: **Oha, du bist die Einzige, die für Reno/Yazoo gevoted hat! Ich bin da ziemlich parteilos, aber es sieht so aus, als ob es wirklich schwierig wird, die beiden wieder zusammen zubringen, ich hoffe, du bist nicht zu enttäuscht :( Sie können ja aber Freunde bleiben/wieder werden, und vielleicht findet Reno ja jemand anderes... Den Altersunterschied von Cid und Yazoo werde ich im letzten Kapitel nochmal thematisieren, vielleicht wird es dann etwas plausibler. Und Cid/Yazoo smut kommt auf jeden Fall, den habe ich mir als krönenden Abschluss für´s letzte Kapitel aufgehoben :)

**Zexion.6:** Yay for love!!! I hope it´ll become more sexy when I finally get to the actual smut in the last chapter, it´s about time after 17 chapters *likes long foreplay* XD Haha, me too, so far I haven´t read a pairing with Yazoo I didn´t like^^

**Thanks for the awesome feedback, I really appreciate it *dances happily***

**See you next chapter, and as always I´d be delighted to read your opinion on this chapter!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hi there and welcome to the last chapter. I again am grateful to PfenixB for the wonderful proofreading!  
**

**Please enjoy then!  
**

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18

The way to the bedroom took a bit longer than it should have, but Cid was carrying not only himself, but the unstable silver-haired boy who threatened to slip from his grip every two minutes.

"Gawddamn," the mechanic hissed, grabbing tighter around that slender hip, trying to ignore the wet shirt riding up and his hands making contact with cool, smooth skin. Cid pressed down the handle with his elbow, dragged them into the room, and pushed the door close behind them.

"Almost dere," he breathed reassuringly in Yazoo´s direction, getting a non-committal "Hn" in return.

Finally they reached the bed and with a grunt Cid threw himself and his apprentice on the mattress. Panting, he lay half on Yazoo, face first in a cushion and dizzily wondering why alcohol was so evil and always took effect when it was late too late to stop the drunkenness.

He was pulled out of his drunken musings when Yazoo stirred underneath him, accidently brushing over his groin. Biting down on his tongue, the blond suppressed an involuntary moan and moved aside. He didn´t need his apprentice to feel his erection; the evening had been scary enough already.

Still, Cid had to get the youth out of his wet clothes so he wouldn´t catch a cold. Heaving himself up on his arms, he leaned over to Yazoo, asking, "Ya-zz, ya able ta get outta ya stuff?"

He tensely watched the boy´s reaction, but to his relief Yazoo slowly nodded and opened his eyes halfway. Still looking at nothing in particular, he sluggishly brought his hand up and let it fall on his belly, uncoordinatedly tugging a bit at the wet clothes.

"Oh great." Cid groaned, shaking his head and crawling closer again. "Here, lemme help ya," he mumbled and started to tear at Yazoo´s clothes with no more skill than Yazoo. The silver haired young man let his head drop to the side and interestedly watched what Cid was doing.

"Can ya move up?" the mechanic asked, his heavy head looming very close over a flat belly. Narrowing his eyes, Cid tried to get a hold of the sticky shirt and almost bumped his nose when Yazoo did as he was told and arched his back.

"Yah, nat DAT up," Cid breathed, looking up into Yazoo´s face with a light scowl that vanished when the youth looked back at him with big, clouded eyes, mouth half open. Suddenly he became very aware of his position, his lips hovering only mere inches over Yazoo´s navel. Thick droplets of rain were dewing his white alabaster skin, and for a moment the urge to dip his tongue into that little dent and lick them away was overwhelming…

"Hnnnn," Yazoo hummed and Cid blinked. He hadn´t just… had he?! But yes, obviously his tongue had become independent and swirled in quick circles around and inside of Yazoo´s belly button, tasting the sweet skin. And obviously the youth didn´t seem to mind as he bowed into the treatment and closed his eyes again, the barest of pleased smiles tugging at his lips.

All alarm bells were shrilling in the mechanic´s head, telling him to stop this, that this was insane, that they were both drunk and that Yazoo had just had a very traumatizing experience, and that he was still underage (if only for a few weeks longer), and that everything wasn´t right and would become very complicated, but meanwhile, his body had already rolled up Yazoo´s shirt and his mouth had found one hard nub that he engulfed and suckled.

Cid´s body had magically moved on itself as well and was heavily lying on Yazoo´s slender frame, grinding his hips and his groin against the equally hard erection of the youth underneath him.

One of Yazoo´s hands had found their way into Cid´s hair, ruffling and massaging it with dazed movements, while encouraging little noises fell from his pouty lips, making Cid groan around the nipple in his mouth. He flicked over the erect flesh a few more times before he forced himself through sheer will power to let go and look up, grunting through his still circling movements,

"List´n, it ain't like I don't want this, but it ain´t a good idea-"

He was shut up by a velvety, agile tongue suddenly invading his mouth, tasting him with sensual movements and taking his breath away. Groaning again, Cid felt his resistance melt away and his eyes drop shut. His hands moved up and buried themselves in silver hair, drawing the boy closer and hungrily devouring him.

Meanwhile Yazoo´s clever hands had found their way around his employer´s gyrating lower body and travelled over his denim-clad buttocks. A firm squeeze made the mechanic almost jump, but then he was held down by two long legs wrapping around him, pulling him closer to that deliciously wriggling body.

Rubbing his hard member roughly against the denim fabric and the equally erect cock of Yazoo felt so relieving after so many years of abstinence that Cid almost gave in to a sob, but instead he dived deeper into the moist cavern that was Yazoo´s mouth, pinching a rosy nipple with his free hand, making the boy writhe underneath him.

Yazoo´s muffled moans and rushed breaths sounded so wonderful to his ears, like music he never wanted to stop. He´d almost given in, but then the youth´s nimble fingers had managed to furtively sneak to the waistband of Cid´s pants and opened the button. As soon as cool fingertips came into contact with the oversensitive, burning flesh there, the mechanic jerked away, burying his head in the nape of Yazoo´s neck and squeezing his eyes shut, panting,

"Fuck, stoppit we can´t do dat!"

Cid felt Yazoo´s head move a bit, long, silky tresses brushing over his stubbled cheek. Instead of letting go, the fingers curled around his thick erection and slowly pulled back the thin layer of skin from his red, glossy head.

"You don´t like that?"

At the huskily spoken question, Cid gritted his teeth and had to force the spinning in his head to go slower. His spine was tingling all the way to his scalp, and he needed a moment before he could rasp out,

"Hell no, I like da- AH- hat! B-but dissisn´t –argh- right! Damn boy, ya have sum dextrous fingers!"

"Uhn," Yazoo breathed into his ear, letting his hand glide up and down his employer´s shaft, grip becoming harder and rougher.

"We can´t do dis, we can´t do dis, wecan´tdodis…!!!" Cid breathed his little mantra while at the same time his body had gone on autopilot again. His hands tore frantically at Yazoo´s short pants and the youth briefly entangled his legs and moved his hips up again so they could get rid of them.

It took the mechanic a moment to realize that he was pressed to the almost naked –there was still that rolled up sleeve-, incredibly sexy and willing body of his apprentice, and another heavy moan filled the room.

Cid´s hands came to rest on Yazoo´s bare ass and he pulled the youth closer. The silver head had to let go of the blond´s swollen flesh but instead they found relief by grinding their erections against one another. His numb fingers feverishly travelling over the firm flesh of Yazoo´s cheeks, Cid found the cleft he´d been searching for and stroked with the tips over the perineum. It elicited a delighted chortle from the body underneath him and Yazoo brazenly pressed against Cid´s fingers. The youth had wrapped his arms around Cid´s neck, probably too drunk and too aroused to be able to do much but letting his body move on itself in a fast, needy rhythm. He left the finishing touches to the blond.

An electric jolt shot through Cid´s guts as he made contact with a hot, wrinkled little hole and pushing against it, he found that Yazoo responded very deliciously. Still, despite his alcohol induced state the mechanic remembered that without a good oiling nothing went anywhere. While he nipped and bit into Yazoo´s bent neck, one hand continued to hotly stroke the tiny entrance while the other frantically searched for something on the nightstand. The noise of things crashing to the ground couldn´t deter them from their desperate actions. Finally the blond had found the bottle of hand creme he´d been searching for.

"Ya sure ya want dis?," he panted into the teens ear, though he wasn´t sure if he could have stopped now. It was more or less a matter of politeness, but luckily Yazoo seemed rather certain about it as he moaned an affirming "Hnnnnnnnnn" and rolled his pelvis against Cid´s hard, leaking cock again.

The mechanic didn´t waste any more time and quickly coated his fingers with the lubricant. When he slipped inside Yazoo hissed, but soon he moved his body in motion with the finger gliding in and out of him. Cid added a second and third one, finally assuming from Yazoo´s delighted moans that he was ready. He grabbed Yazoo´s cheek with one hand and locked their mouths again, while with the other he grasped his cock and guided it towards the slippery entrance. When he felt the heat on the tip of his cock coming from that tight ring of muscle he groaned out again and pushed inside. The head vanished inside and Yazoo wriggled a bit, but Cid held him still and, holding his breath, slowly glided in deeper until he was fully seated. Then he pulled out a bit and pushed back again, overwhelmed by the heat scorching his cock, the smoothness clenching around him, making him quiver with carnal desire.

Yazoo gasped out when the blond moved out and inside again, shoving deep and slamming against the boy´s prostate. Since he clenched his ass cheeks around Cid´s penis, squeezing him in the most pleasurable ways, the mechanic had to do it right again, his balls slapping against skin and bouncing back as he pulled out again.

This was so much better than all the wet dreams Cid had had about screwing Yazoo from behind against the shop counter put together!

It had gotten incredibly warm as their bodies moved against each other, skin rubbing over skin, hard organ penetrating soft flesh. It didn´t take long before their breathing became harsher, the moans and groans getting louder and their movements more frantic until at last, Cid ruthlessly shoved in. With every thrust the mattress creaked harder and the knot in his belly tightened until it suddenly snapped loose and the blond came with a harsh cry, cradling Yazoo´s frail, panting form in his arms and rolling his hips a last few times, exhausted.

Yazoo had thrown his head back, eyes wide open when he came with a silent scream, clinging tightly to Cid´s body, nails digging into his shirt.

Eventually he went limp and closed his eyes, already half asleep. Cid sighed and pulled out. He was too tired and felt too good to move much, so he simply lay beside the silver-head, arms still around him, and fell asleep almost immediately.

*

The next morning Cid awoke to one hell of a hangover. Groaning, he held his head before he dared to crack his blood shot eyes open. Instead of the mercilessly bright sun burning his eyes and splitting his head, though, the room was cast in a relatively pleasant semi-darkness. Someone must have pulled the curtains closed, Cid mused, dizzily moving his head to the side.

"Good morning," was the considerate, lowly spoken greeting that made him shift his eyes up. There beside him, kneeling on the mattress sat Yazoo in all his naked glory, holding a glass of water and a white pill towards him.

"What…" the mechanic croaked, narrowing his eyes, but then it came all rushing back on him and he closed his mouth with a snap. Oh fuck. Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck! He hadn´t really done that, right?! It all had been just a very intense, very vivid dream, right?!

"Damn," he muttered under his breath, sitting up and avoiding eye contact with Yazoo. Since he didn´t know what to say, he decided to buy some time. He hesitantly took the offered aspirin and the water and gulped both down in one go.

"You slept well?" Yazoo asked, watching his employer clinging to his glass and staring into his lap, jaw clenched. He reached out to push a blond tress off the mechanic's face, saying, "You look a bit exhauste-"

"Don´t."

Slowly, Yazoo withdrew his hand, face blank. "What´s wrong?"

" What's wrong?!" Cid laughed a listless laugh, shaking his head and waving his hand. "ALL o' this is wrong!"

The silver haired youth remained quiet for a moment, before speaking up again. "You didn´t like it, then?"

"What?" The mechanic looked stunned for a moment, but then he shook his head again, rubbing his temple. "Nah, that´s not it…" He sighed, shrugging. Just how could he bring his point across?

"I see," was the fathomless reply, followed by a hollow "so it´s me then."

This time Cid jerked his head up. "Wha- No! How da hell ya got dat idea?!" Shaking his head again, he reached for Yazoo´s hand and pulled it in his lap, sighing and wishing very badly for a cig. "Look, it ain´t you, I like ya, really… It´s yest…"

"What?" Yazoo asked after the pause dragged on, tilting his head. His hand lay laxly in Cid´s. He really didn´t understand where the problem was here. He liked Cid and Cid had just said that he liked him too. The sex had been breath-taking (as far as he could remember) and they lived and worked together anyway, so what could possibly be wrong?!

"Look, ´m a grumpy ol´ man, and you, you´re young an´ hot… "

Yazoo blinked and cocked a brow. "And? Maybe I like grumpy old men."

The blond just snorted humorlessly, so the youth brushed with his thumb over the back of his hand and said quietly. "I really don´t care how old you are. You can´t be that much older than me anyway, hm?" Besides, how old could Cid really be? 45? He sure did not look older than fifty…

"Ah yeah…" Cid said, squirming, but looking a bit less reluctant now. "Thirty-four, actually. Thirty-five this year."

"Oh…" Yazoo said, face blank for a moment, before he summoned a sweet smile to cover his surprise and smoothly lied "I thought you were younger. You look about twenty-eight."

"C´mon," the mechanic waved a hand in dismissal, but Yazoo didn´t fail to notice the pleased, happy sparkle in his eyes.

"No really," the silver haired youth purred, shifting a bit closer and to his delight, Cid threw an arm around him and drew him closer.

Still, he shook his head and mumbled, "This can´t work out…"

"Hn, you won´t know if you don´t try," Yazoo commented dryly and graced his new lover with his sweetest smile as Cid just shrugged and sighed in defeat.

"Fine then, ya win. But no more sex till ya turn 18, ya hear me?"

"Hn," Yazoo smirked and snuggled closer, shutting his eyes for another round of well-deserved sleep.

**Three months later**

Reno stood before the –finally fixed- glass door of Highwind´s Tool Shop and threw one last, critical view at his image reflected on its surface. His hair had been subdued by a large amount of hair gel and he had even ironed his black suit. In one arm he held a huge bunch of sunflowers. After he had pushed back some stray hair into order, he took a deep breath and finally entered the shop.

Clearing his throat to announce his presence, he nervously went up to the counter. Yazoo, who´d been working on a new delivery, clad in tight jeans and a black pullover, looked up and slowly set the biro aside, one eyebrow raised.

"Yo."

"Hey."

Reno shifted nervously, yearning for a cigarette, but he´d given up on smoking for two months now. Clearing his throat, he pushed the flowers towards Yazoo and asked "You like them?"

"They are nice."

"Damn!" Reno cursed, mumbling, "I don´t need nice, I need _perfect_!"

At that, the silver head smirked and casually leaned over the counter. "Hn, I´m sure he´ll like them."

"You sure? Really, really sure?" the redhead looked sceptically from Yazoo to his flowers. "He didn´t strike me as someone who would like sunflowers, you know… More of the red rose type, yo…"

"Just go ahead," Yazoo replied, rolling his eyes. "The worst he can do is shoot you, hm?"

"Oh thank you, how very encouraging," Reno snarkily replied, but then he sighed, giving his former boyfriend a light hug. "Wish me luck, yo."

"Aww, a guy with your charms doesn´t need luck." The mocking words held no sarcasm whatsoever. They weren´t exactly super tight anymore, but they had had a few long talks after the incident. Now they slowly and carefully worked on establishing a platonic friendship. Reno was successful with his job as a bouncer and had completely stopped drinking. He had also found himself a new love interest, keeping his mind away from Yazoo.

Reno grinned and tipped his head before he straightened again, re-arranged his flower bunch and went up to the apartment.

The silver haired man looked after him for a moment before he turned towards the garage and smirked, "You can come out now."

A blond shock of hair shifted behind the door, but then Cid grumpily walked into the store, cleaning his oily hands with a cloth.

"What´d he want?" Despite Yazoo´s assurances that Reno was clean now and had no interest in him anymore whatsoever, Cid still remained suspicious.

"Nothing, he´s heading for Vincent´s," the youth replied casually, leaning with his back against the counter and showing a bit of his belly button.

"Ya sure he ain´t flirtin´with ya?" the mechanic queried, throwing his cloth on the counter.

"Hn. What makes you so sure I´m not flirting with _him_?"

"Tch." Cid sourly lifted a brow but then he just grabbed Yazoo around the waist, pulled him up on the counter and threw him in a bruising kiss.

"Well, that´s an argument," the young man breathed as he was released a few minutes later, and pressed himself against the man. "You´re up for a short break?"

"Ya bet," Cid smirked, lifting his lover up and carrying him into the garage, closing the door shut behind them.

End.

* * *

**Cid really is 34 years old. According to the Reunion Files. *cough*I´dhavethoughthe´s43butwell *cough***

**Valitiel:** Hehe, well, we´ll never know if Reno was successful at conquering the heart of Vincent, so it could as well be that Vincent has the hots for Yazoo, but to tell the truth: I doubt it ;) I think Reno succeeded and now Yazoo is happy with Cid, and Reno is happy with Vincent and it is the perfect happy ending ;P Or what do you think? *curious*

**Zexion.6:** Well, I´d say this was a good ending? Yes? No? XD What did you have in mind?

**natzilla:** Strange, uh? I can perfectly imagine Yazoo with Cid, but not with Barret, really... Maybe because Cid has this special, rough charm *shrugs* Oh well, I needed the drama and I wasn´t satisfied with portraying Reno as the one-sided, evil guy... I had to shorten his development since I shortened the whole story, but in the end he still gets happy, I think :)

**luvyuyu:** Hah, secretly Cid´s a sweet, romantic guy... Maybe ;) Reno found someone else - couldn´t let him end up all miserable- and finally Cid did give Yazoo some love, so I hope you like it^^

**kiki-slasha:** Hm, I needed to show Yaz´s development from active to passive but he might have been a bit too eager to be active XD This was an interesting thought you had there, about Reno picking Yazoo´s younger brother, because in the longer, original version Reno´d have done that to provoke Yazoo´s jealousy... But well, now he has Vincent^^ Uhm, I am having this funny little story line in my head with the pairing being Renzoo, but I´ll have to finish a few other things first, I can´t really keep track of what I have up anymore XD

**Goddess Of Glomps:** Hehe, Vincent is your favorite then, I take it? Well, he was indirectly in the last chapter as well, so I hope it was a good chapter then XD

**Many many thanks to**: InsaneChaos, YazooValentine, sareyva, Anon, Valitiel, Koumori-chan, juri, luvyuyu, jennie300303, Xyleel, kiki-slasha, darkbloodymoon, Salawati, natzilla, Wildfire Sniper, Goddess Of Glomps, Zexion.6, AlexJ69, DreamlessRiver, Jaspis, labyrinth traveler, Niiroya, Silver Tears 11, SteelStar, XwinterX, Boehmei, Command76, KandiKane89, Macuilxochitl and shika-lazy-chan** for the support through reviewing, faving and subscribing and to everyone else for reading! Very Special thanks go to my indescripably super-awesome beta _PfenixB_!!!** (You so rock!)

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